^sjSTof  rni^ 


V 


,  MAY  10    1968  , 

3' 


Prophets  and  Prophecy. 


PROF.  W.  H.  GREEN 


A  COMPILATION  FROM  NOTES  OF  THE  LECTURES 
BEFORE  THE  SENIOR  CLASS. 

[printed,  not  published.] 


RE-EDITED     FOR    THE    CLASS    OF    1882. 


PRINCETON,  N.  J.  : 

PRINTED   BY    C.    S.    ROBINSON    4    CO. 
I88l. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1877,  by 

W.  H.  GREEN, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


THE    PROPHET 


What  is  meant  by  the  term  "prophet"  in  the  O.  T.  ? 
True  definition  :  An  authoritative  and  infallible  expouuder 
of  the  will  of  God. 

The  books  of  the  prophets  form  an  important  part  of 
the  O.  T.  writings.  This  importance  is  shown  in  four  par- 
ticulars : 

1.  In  their  authority.— They  contain  a  divine  revelation 
of  God's  will,  and  dealings  with  Israel  through  over  four 
hundred  years,  which  will  is  still  binding,  in  its  essence,  on 
us  to-day. 

2.  In  their  historical  i<afo/e.— They  show  to  us  the  religion 
and  theology  of  the  theocracy  in  its  doctrinal  aspect,  in  its 
most  advanced  stages. 

3.  In  their  Messianic  value. — They  contain  the  fullest  and 
clearest  disclosures  B.  C.  concerning  the  coming  Redeemer, 
his  work  among  men,  and  his  ignominious  death  upon  the 
cross.  They  give  the  criteria  for  his  recognition,  holding 
him  up  before  the  world  as  an  object  of  faith  and  hope. 

4.  In  their  apologetic  value. — They  contain  the  most 
astonishing  exhibitions  of  supernatural  foresight  in  numer- 
ous predictions,  and  furnish  us  with  a  powerful  argument 
for  the  truth  and  divinity  of  our  religion.  In  these  four 
points  the  prophecies  are  most  important. 

For  the  study  and  appreciation  of  the  character  of  the 
prophets,  we  must  first  see  what  is  meant  by  the  term 
prophet. 

1  DEUTERONOMY  18:  18,  19. 

The  true  idea  of  an  0.  T.  prophet  may  be  learned  first 
and  most  explicitly  from  the  formal  definition  given  in 
Deut.  18:  18,  19:  'Twill  raise  them  up  a  Prophet  from 
among  their  brethren,  like  unto  thee,  and  will  put  my 
words  in  his  mouth  ;  and  he  shall  speak  unto  them  all  that 
I  shall  command  him.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  who- 
soever will  not  harken  unto  my  words  which  he  shall  speak 


in  my  name,  I  will  require  it  of  him."  This  passage  is  ap- 
plied by  Peter  in  Acts  3  :  22,  23,  to  Christ,  and  is  supposed 
by  some  to  refer  to  Christ  alone.  The  difficulty  of  this  is 
found  in  the  connection,  which  is  two-fold: 

a.  There  were  no  diviners,  charmers,  consulters,  wizards 
or  necromancers,  Deut.  18 :  9-14,  to  whom  they  were  per- 
mitted to  resort.  The  people  were  forbidden  to  use  any 
other  means  of  inquiring  into  the  will  of  God,  as  the 
heathen  had  done,  for  they  would  have  no  need  of  it. 

b.  In  condescension  to  the  weakness  of  the  people,  as 
shown  on  Mount  Sinai,  when  they  were  not  able  to  endure 
the  presence  of  God,  he  promises  to  send  them  a  prophet, 
or  to  raise  up  one  who  should  stand  between  them  and 
God.  Now  so  distant  an  event  as  Christ's  coming  could 
not  be  used  as  a  reason  for  their  not  applying  to  diviners, 
or  to  some  substitute  for  the  God  of  heaven.  There  must 
be  a  nearer  one  than  Christ,  hence  the  O.  T.  prophet. 

It  is  plain  from  the  original  language  that  this  passage 
from  Deut.  18  :  18,  19,  being  the  ground  of  two  different 
applications,  these  two  applications  must  be  reconciled,  by 
making  Deut.  18 :  18,  19,  refer  to  the  line  of  prophets,  and 
that  of  Peter  in  Acts  3  :  22,  23,  must  refer  to  Christ,  the 
last  and  greatest  of  all  the  prophets.  The  passage  has  a 
Messianic  reference,  and  therefore  compreheuds  Christand 
the  O.  T.  prophets. 

Different  Views  of  the  Term  "  Prophet." — Some 
commentators  take  the  word  prophet  in  Deut.  in  a  collec- 
tive sense,  i  e.,  it  is  a  singular  noun  used  for  the  plural. 
Answer  1.  This  view  is  unreasonable,  for  nowhere  else  is  a 
singular  used  for  a  plural.  2.  To  so  use  it,  would  destroy  the 
individuality  of  the  term,  which  is  so  marked,  and,  besides, 
all  the  verbs  and  pronouns  are  also  used  in  the  singular. 
Some  apply  it  to  Joshua,  instead  of  taking  it  in  a  collective 
sense.^  On  the  whole,  it  seems  best  to  understand  it  in  its 
generic  sense,  as  Heverneik  ;  or,  in  an  ideal  sense,  as  Hengs- 
tenberg,  that  is:  a.  Equivalent  to  a  prophet,  at  each  time 
of  emergency,  b.  Equivalent  to  a  prophet,  that  is,  a  com- 
plex or  ideal  person,  conceived  of  as  a  unit,  but  embracing 
in  it  a  whole  line,  or  order  of  prophets;  e.  g.,  the  Pope  of 
Rome  is  an  ideal  man,  he  is  one  of  many  in  the  line  of 
popes;  the  President  of  the  United  States  is  an  ideal  man, 
being  oneof  many  presidents.  It  is  in  this  sense,  that  all 
are  combined  as  one  person,  into  an  ideal  unity.  He 
argues — 


1.  That  the  prophetic  order  was  to  culminate  in  Christ. 

2.  Is  called  the  "  spirit  of  Christ,"  as  in  1  Peter  1  :  10, 
11,  for  the  spirit  of  Christ  was  to  speak  through  the  proph- 
ets. In  Peter  it  says,  "  searching  what,  or  what  manner  of 
time  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify, 
when  it  testified  beforehand  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and 
the  glory  that  should  follow."  The  Spirit  of  Christ  spoke 
through  these  prophets ;  he  therefore  was,  in  a  certain 
sense  the  only  prophet. 

Essential  Particulars. — a.  God  would  put  His  words 
into  his  mouth. 

b.  Infallibility.     He  should  speak  to  the  people  all  things 
commanded,  and  should  give  it  just  as  he  received  it. 

c.  His  authority  should  be  absolute  and  unconditional. 
To  refuse  or  reject  him  was  to  refuse  or  reject  God.  This 
subject  may  still  further  be  illustrated  by  Moses,  thus  plac- 
ing the  prophets  in  contrast  with  two  classes  of  men. 

1.  In  contrast  with  heathen  diviners,  v.  10  ;  aud  with  proph- 
ets who  spake  in  the  name  of  other  gods,  v.  20.  These  last 
thought,  or  sought,  to  penetrate  the  will  of  deity  by  the 
observation  of  omens.  This  is  denounced  and  prohibited 
in  the  verses  following. 

2.  In  contrast  ivith  false  prophets,  who  profess  to  speak 
in  the  Lord's  name,  but  are  unauthorized.  These  are  to  be 
distinguished  by  their  uttering  what  does  not  come  to  pass, 
v.  22  ;  and  in  teaching  what  is  at  variance  with  what  God 
has  taught  them,  Deut.  13  :  1-5.  These  false  prophets 
were  of  heathen  origin,  and  introduced  by  heathen  nations. 
They  belong  to  the  earlier  stages,  i.  e.,  those  under  the  first, 
and  from  the  Cauaanites,  e.g.,  the  "  witch  of  En-dor."  Or 
they  belong  to  the  apostate  Kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes, 
;'  prophets  of  Baal,"  1  Kings  18.  The  false  prophets  from 
Israel  belonged  to  a  later  date,  and  to  Judah.  They  were 
courted  on  account  of  their  smooth  words,  Jer.  28  :  15. 


II.  NAMES,  EPITHETS,  Etc. 


This  is  another  source  whence  to  derive  a  true  idea  of 
the  prophet.     They  are — 

1.  Those  names  which  describe  them  absolutely. 

2.  Those  which  describe  them  relatively  to  God. 

3.  Those  which  describe  them  relatively  to  the  people. 


a.  Nabhi:  common  term  applied  to  prophet. 

b.  Roeh  :  A  seer.     And  in  Hosea  9  :  7,  we  have  : 

c.  Ish  haruahh :  Man  of  the  spirit  :  inspired  man 
(poetic). 

1.  Roeh  :  Seer  does  not  mean  one  who  simply  sees  vis- 
ions, as  some  have  supposed,  but  one  who  possesses  the 
power  or  faculty  of  foresight  in  a  higher  degree  than  ordi- 
nary men.  Not  confined  to  visions  strictly,  but  in  a  wider 
sense  to  one  who,  by  God's  power,  could  see  what  lay  hid 
to  others;  the  hidden  will  of  God.  The  common  designa- 
tion of  prophets  is  nabhi,  from  nabha,  to  bubble  forth  ;  with 
the  passive  signification,  is  one  on  whom  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  poured  out,  as  given  by  some  interpreters.  But  in 
Hebrew  it  signifies  "  dropping ;"  hence  words  significant 
of  dropping,  are  figuratively  referred  to  speaking  ;  there- 
fore, to  speak,  and  in  the  passive  sense  one  who  is  qualified 
to  speak — one  skilled  in  pouring  forth  meaning  of  the  word 
is  seen  from  Ex.  7  :  1,  "  I  have  made  spring  pours  forth 
its  waters.  That  this  is  the  primary  words — one  who 
pours  forth  words  or  utterances,  as  a  thee  a  god  to  Pharaoh, 
and  Aaron,  thy  brother,  shall  be  thy  prophet,"  i.  e.,  his 
spokesman.  Hence,  what  God  says  to  Moses  must  mean, 
one  who  is  a  mouth-piece  of  God  to  man. 

So  also  in  the  Greek,  prophets  is  commonly  interpreted 
as  pro,  beforehand,  hence  speaking  beforehand.  Again,  in 
a  local  sense,  to  speak  beforehand  was  only  a  subordinate 
function  of  the  prophet,  hence,  pro  has  been  referred  to 
place,  and  not  to  time,  which  is  the  primary  signification. 

Nabhi  gives  authority  to  declare  the  word  of  God.  This 
gives  signification  to  1  Sam.  9:9.  "  Beforetime  in  Israel, 
when  a  man  went  to  enquire  of  God,  thus  he  spake,  Come, 
and  let  us  go  to  the  seer  :  for  he  that  is  now  called  a  Prophet 
was  beforetime  called  a  Seer."  Prediction  is  only  subordi- 
nate. Pro,  in  local  sense,  indicates  one  who  speaks  in  the 
presence  of  another  for  him;  seer  describes  simply  one 
who  sees ;  while  prophet  is  one  who  speaks  what  he  sees. 

2.  Relation  to  God.— The  second  series  of  names  are 
those  which  show  their  relation  to  God,  e.  g.,  1  Sam.  2: 
27,  "  And  there  came  a  man  of  God  unto  Eli."  Again, 
they  are  called  servants,  2  Kings  17  :  23,  "  As  he  had  said 
by  all  his  servants,  the  prophets."  They  are  called  messen- 
gers, 2  Chron.  36  :  15,  16,  "  They  wait  upon  Him  ready  to 
do  His  bidding."  These  terms,  from  their  nature,  are  inap- 
plicable to  those  in  the  service  of  false  gods.     They  have, 


however,  a  wider  sense,  a  more  general  use,  and  are  not 
restricted  to  prophets,  but  are  used  of  any  employed  by 
God  to  do  his  work.  Jer.  25  :  9,  "  Nebuchadnezzar,  the 
king  of  Babylon,  my  servant."  The  angels,  also,  are  his 
messengers,  Ps.  119:  91,  "For  all  are  thy  servants." 

3.  Relation  to  Man. — Thus  they  are  called  Roeh:  shep- 
herds, signifying  their  duty  to  protect,  guide  and  feed  the 
flock  of  God.  The  general  term  applied  to  civil  rulers  and 
priests.  They  are  called  watchmen,  interpreters.  The 
word  watchman  is  equivalent  to  two  Hebrew  words,  one  de- 
rived from  aphah,  to  set  at  a  distance,  to  watch,  Is.  21 :  6, 
lt  Go,  set  a  watchman."  Shamar  :  a  guardian  set  in  the 
streets  or  on  the  walls,  a  watchman  to  guard  near  at  hand, 
to  sound  the  alarm,  Is.  62  :  6.  Interpreters  :  those  who  ex- 
plain the  otherwise  unintelligible  will  of  God.  He  imparts 
utterances  of  God's  will,  Is. "43:  27.  These  words  corres- 
pond to  seer  and  prophet  in  order.  The  watchman  is  one 
who  sees  what  others  do  not.  A  seer  is  a  supernatural 
watchman.  An  interpreter  utters  clearly  God's  will,  as  a 
prophet.  His  qualifications  for  the  functions  of  a  prophet 
are  divine,  hence,  what  he  utters  is  inspired. 

III.  PHRASES  AND  EXPRESSIONS. 

We  gather  the  true  idea  of  a  prophet  by  collecting  and 
comparing  the  various  phrases  and  expressions  about  them. 
That  God's  will  is  made  known  to  them  is  seen  : 

1.  Because  God  speaks  to  them,  He  shows  them  what  to 
say,  and  what  to  do  ;  His  spirit  rests  upon  them  ;  His  words 
come  to  them;  they  hear  Him,  hence  revelations  are  made 
to  them,  and  "  thus  saith  the  Lord"  shows  a  divine  com- 
munication. 

2.  That  they  are  commissioned  to  declare  His  will  is 
also  asserted,  e.g.,  God  sends  them,  bids  them  prophesy, 
gives  them  tongues  to  speak.  They  are  charged  with 
authoritative  communications  to  others.  They  are  bound 
to  deliver  these  under  the  severest  penalties.  They  declare 
what  they  have  from  God,  in  coutrast  with  false  prophets. 
They  always  preface  what  they  say  with,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord."  So  completely  is  the  prophet's  own  personality  lost 
that  often  the  pronoun  is  changed,  as  if  God  spoke  directly. 
Divine  impartation  of  divine  instruction.  Modern  critics 
say  it  is  merely  a  mode  of  expression  among  the  people, 
and  not  actual  in  fact. 


Skeptical  Opinions. — 1.  Some  regard  the  prophets  as 
men  of  superior  enlightenment  dealing  with  ignorant  peo- 
ple. To  conciliate  favor  for  their  utterances  they  publish 
them  as  coming  from  the  deity. 

2.  Others  say  the  prophets  were  the  most  advanced  rep- 
resentatives of  public  sentiment.  Enthusiasm  thus  referred 
to  God.  They  combined  what  was  in  the  popular  heart. 
They  were  men  who  enthusiastically  thought  that  all  this 
was  inspiration. 

3.  The  prophets,  they  say,  were  really  inspired  of  God, 
but  only  as  every  right  exercise  of  our  faculties  is  under 
God's  guidance.  They  differ  from  Christians  not  in  kind, 
but  in  degree.  Taking  any  one  of  these  cases,  and  adopt 
their  views,  it  takes  away  the  grand  distinction  of  a  prophet, 
it  robs  them  of  their  spiritual  and  scriptural  meaning. 

Answer  1.  The  supernatural  character  of  the  prophet 
is  involved  in  the  supernatural  character  of  the  O.  T.,  and 
of  religion  in  general. 

2.  Though  the  prophets  were  holy  men,  and  many  of 
them  were  highly  gifted,  yet  the  inspiration  was  distinct 
from  their  sanctification.  Even  men  who  were  destitute 
of  piety  were  thus  inspired, — Balaam,  Saul,  Caiaphas. 

3.  It  appears  from  the  nature  of  these  communications 
made  to  the  prophets,  that  they  were  such  as  necessarily 
imply  supernatural  communications  from  above. 

4.  It  is  universally  conceded,  even  by  skeptics,  that 
while  other  nations  had  their  oracles,  etc.,  yet  the  prophets 
of  Israel  stood  alone  in  the  character  of  their  revelations. 
There  were  deep  thinkers  elsewhere,  and  philosophers,  but 
they  do  not  rise  beyond  ambiguous  responses.  If  proph- 
ecy is  inherent  in  all  men,  how  is  it  that  the  prophets  of 
Israel  stand  alone  in  the  purity,  value  and  fitness  of  their 
communications. 

Another  limitation  of  the  term  prophet,  not  by  skeptics, 
but  by  religious  people,  is  that  a  prophet  refers  to  one  who 
foretells  future  events.  The  Fathers  also  held  this  view. 
The  error  is  in  mistaking  a  part  for  the  whole  of  their  duty, 
and  the  means  for  the  end.  Foretelling  the  future  was,  of 
course,  important,  yet  it  held  a  subordinate  place.  The 
prospective  nature  of  their  work  gave  it  a  prophetic  char- 
acter. They  were  not  predicters  merely,  but  also  teachers, 
although  this,  in  a  large  measure,  came  to  overshadow  the 
rest.  The  constant  aim  of  these  disclosures  is  lost  sight 
of,  beside  their  own  inherent  grandeur.     Remark, 


9 

1.  There  is  no  specific  reference  to  future  events  found 
in  any  one  of  the  definitions  of  prophet  already  given. 
However  conspicuous  this  element  may  appear,  it  is  not 
essential  to  the  office.  They  were  to  speak  all  that  was 
commanded  them,  whether  present,  past  or  future. 

2.  In  actual  fact  we  see  that  the  revelations  of  the  proph- 
ets do  not  concern  the  future  exclusively,  but  refer  to  the 
past  and  present  as  well,  e.  g.,  when  Samuel  told  Saul  that 
his  father's  asses  had  been  found,  1  Sam.  9:  20,  this  is  past. 
Abijah,  though  blind,  yet  knew  and  prophesied  to  Jero- 
boam's wife,  when  she  came  to  him  in  his  old  age,  1  Kings 
14  :  6-16.  This  shows  present  power,  Elisha  told  Gehazi 
where  lie  had  been,  2  Kings  5  :  26.  Daniel  related  a  dream 
of  Nebuchadnezzar,  Dan.  2  :  28.  Elisha  told  the  King  of 
Israel  words  spoken  in  the  bed-chamber  by  the  Svrian 
king's  servant,  2  Kings  6:  12.  Ezekiel  24:  2,  tells  them 
the  very  day,  "Even  of  this  same  day  the  king  of  Babylon 
set  himself  against  Jerusalem." 

3.  The  function  of  the  Hebrew  prophet  was  not  limited 
to  the  revealing  of  secret  events.  This  was  not  the  main 
and  characteristic  part  of  their  work.  They  were  princi- 
pally divinely  instructed  guides,  and  the  instructors  of  the 
people.  They  maintained  in  its  dignity  and  integrity  the 
covenant  relation  of  the  people  with  God.  This  was  their 
particular  function,  and  to  conduct  the  people  towards  the 
end  for  which  that  relation  was  established,  i.  e.,  the  coming 
of  Christ,  and  his  great  salvation.  His  future  purposes 
were  revealed,  as  were  also  the  past  and  the  present. 

4.  To  regard  the  predictions  or  prophecies  merely  in 
the  light  of  prediction  of  divine  help  is  to  mistake  entirely 
their  grand  aim.  This  would  exalt  the  subordinate  end 
over  the  principal.  The  evidence  was  often  incomplete 
until  the  fulfillment,  and  hence  many  would  thus  lose  their 
meaning  and  value,  for  the  prophets  were  contemporaries. 
Other  prophecies  are  considered  doubtful,  because  obscure 
and  enigmatical.  Others  still  by  the  failure  of  God  to  pre- 
serve authentic  records.  Many  prophecies  were  not  com- 
piled in  the  time  of  the  prophets. 

Deuteronomy  18  :  18,  adds  two  other  functions  of  the 
prophets. 

1.  They  were  invariably  of  the  chosen  people.  Balaam 
though  a  foreigner,  was  no  exception  to  the  rule,  for  the 
name  prophet  is  given  to  hirn  only  in  the  N".  T.  (2  Peter  2: 
16),  and  here  it  is  used  in  its  wider,  more  general  sense. 


10 

Balaam  is  nowhere  called  a  prophet  in  the  0.  T.,  but  in 
Joshua  13:  22,  he  is  called  a  soothsayer,  and  in  Num.  22: 
7,  "  rewards  of  divination."  He  was  sum  moned  as  a  sooth- 
sayer ;  God  made  use  of  him  as  he  did  of  the  witch  of  En- 
dor,  but  this  did  not  constitute  him  one  of  the  prophets. 
So  also  he  made  use  of  Abimelech  concerning  Abraham's, 
wife,  Gen.  20:  3.  To  this  may  be  added  Pharaoh's  dream, 
Gen.  41 :  1.  Also  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream,  Dan.  2 :  1. 
These  are  revelations.  The  dream  of  the  man  in  the  host 
of  Midian,  Judges  17 :  13,  14.  All  these  were  for  the 
benefit  of  God's  chosen  people,  and  were  confined  to  the 
extraordinary  circumstances  which  evoked  them,  but  none 
of  these  were  prophets. 

2.  A  second  particular  in  this  passage  of  Deuteronomy 
is  that  the  prophet  was  to  be  one  like  unto  Moses  ;  that  is, 
the  revelations  made  to  him  would  be  like  those  made  unto 
Moses,  a  continuation  of  the  scheme  which  he  had  begun, 
and  in  the  same  spirit. .  They  were  not  therefore  isolated 
phenomena,  but  vital  relations  to  the  former  scheme.  All 
belonged  to  one  closely  related  scheme,  initiated  by  Moses, 
and  to  be  continued  by  them  in  likeness  to  him.  The  reve- 
lation of  the  0.  T.  is  one,  a  regular  unfolding  begun  by 
Moses,  and  carried  on  by  succeeding  prophets  :  their  teach- 
ings must  be  like  his,  and  built  upou  his.  The  prophets 
were  not  antagonistic  to  the  law,  but  contemplated  by  the 
law  itself,  not  to  reform  it,  but  to  keep  it  before  the  minds 
of  the  people.  It  was  no  afterthought  to  meet  an  emergency, 
but  provided  for  by  Moses.  It  was  opposed  to  false  losses 
put  upon  the  law,  and  to  those  who  sheltered  themselves 
behind  the  law.  So  Christ  was  also  against  tradition. 
Ezekiel  18:  20,  is  not  opposed  to  Exodus  20  :  5.  This  is 
not  contradictory.  He,  while  claiming  that  they  suffered 
for  their  fathers'  sins,  says  they  also  suffered  for  their  own, 
and  putting  false  constructions  on  the  law,  Exodus  says, 
"  of  them  that  hate  me."  Exekiel  appears  to  Deut.  24  : 
16.  Therefore,  Ezekiel  is  the  same  as  Moses,  and  contrary 
to  false  interpretations.  They  base  their  instruction  on  the 
law,  and  so  always  enforce  it.  This  oneness  of  the  proph- 
ets with  the  law,  is  repeatedly  recognized  in  the  O.  T.,  as 
well  as  in  the  N.  T.,  Is.  1 :  11-14.  The  prophet  here  is 
showing  the  worthlessness  of  the  ceremony,  and  does  not 
aim  at  the  abolition  of  the  ritual,  but  rebukes  their  heart- 
less formality,  joined  with  ungodly  living.  Sacrifices  be- 
came unendurable  when  joined  with   lives   of  sin.      The 


11 

prophets  were  divinely  commissioned  reformers,  not  of  the 
law,  but  of  the  people.  The  law  needed  no  correction. 
They  repeat  and  re-enact  the  law.  Allusions  to  it  abound 
everywhere,  and  all  their  instructions  are  based  upon  the 
law.  Is.  8  :  20,  refers  to  the  law  and  testimony.  Mai.  4  : 
4.  Though  no  direct  citations,  yet  as  we  see  allusions  are 
everywhere  found  in  the  prophets,  even  the  forms  of  ex- 
pression show  familiarity  with  the  law.  The  law  and  the 
prophets  are  combined  in  the  0.  T.,  e.  g.,  Zech.  7:  12.  So 
in  the  N.  T.  we  fiud  the  expressions,  "  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets," "  the  law  and  the  prophets." 

From  the  preceding,  we  see  that  the  prophet  is — 

1.  Favored  with  the  immediate  disclosure  of  the  divine 
will. 

2.  He  is  authorized  to  make  it  known. 

3.  Inspired  iu  recording  and  teaching  it. 

We  now  come  to  consider,  with  additional  clearness, 
not  only  absolutely,  but  relatively,  their  position  in  the 
theocracy  and  in  the  great  scheme  of  divine  revelation. 

1.  As  to  certain  orders  the  question  arises,  How  do  the 
prophets  stand  related  to  other  contemporaneous  orders  of 
men  ?  We  inquire  in  the  general  scheme  ot  divine  reve- 
lation. 

2.  As  to  other  subsequent  and  antecedent  modes  of 
divine  communication. 

Priests. — The  priests  were  a  sacred  order  of  men, 
mediators  between  God  and  man.  The  priests  acted  on 
the  part  of  man  before  God;  the  prophets  on  the  part  of 
God  before  man.  The  priests  were  such  by  hereditary  de- 
scent, from  representative  tribes  and  families.  The  Levites 
were  selected  as  representatives  for  the  rest  of  the  people. 
The  priests  were  an  organized  body,  with  gradations  of 
rank.  They  carried  the  principle  of  representation  to  its 
farthest  extent.  The  high-priest  was  highest  in  rank.  They 
were  supported  bjra  legal  income,  from  the  people  in  whose 
behalf  they  acted.  In  other  ancient  nations,  as  Egypt,  the 
prophets  belonged  to  the  priesthood,  but  it  was  not  so  in 
Israel. 

The  prophets  were  without  any  regular  succession. 
They  had  no  organization  among  them  ;  no  stipend.  They 
were  called  to  the  office  by  the  immediate  agency  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  by  His  sovereign  pleasure.  They  might  be 
taken  from,  any  tribe,  not  excepting  Levi,  e.  g.,  Samuel. 
They  might  come  from  any  part  of  the  land,  2  Chron.  20  : 


12 

14.  Even  from  Galilee,  as  E"ahi.im  and  Jonah,  notwith- 
standing the  sneer  :  "  There  ariseth  no  prophet  out  of  Gali- 
lee ;"  John  7  :  52.  They  might  and  did  come  from  any 
rank.  Royal  blood,  e.  g.,  Isaiah,  Daniel,  Zephaniah.  Or 
from  priestly  rank,  Zechariah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel.  Or 
from  the  most  obscure  herdsmen,  as  Amos.  They  might 
be  taken  from  either  sex,  as  Miriam  the  prophetess,  Ex.  15  : 
20;  Deborah,  Judges  4:  4;  Huldah,  2  Chron.  34:  22; 
Anna,  Luke  2:  26;  and  four  daughters  of  Philip,  Acts 
21 :  9.  Their  descent  from  the  prophets  was  not  essential, 
nor  the  contrary,  2  Chron.  15  :  18.  It  belonged  to  the 
prophets  to  declare  the  will  of  God.  They  were  valued  as 
being  inspired  of  God.  The  priests  were  not  usually  in- 
spired, their  province  being  to  offer  sacrifices  for  the  people 
before  God,  and  to  obtain  for  them  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
and  yet  in  consequence  of  the  mediatorial  character  belong- 
ing to  these  two  classes,  the  functions  sometimes  overlap- 
ped. The  priests  were  authoritative  expounders  of  the 
divine  will.  In  the  early  period  especially  was  this  true, 
as  Joshua  in  Num.  27:  21.  Repeated  mention  is  made  of 
consultation,  1  Sam.  14  :  3;  I  Sam.  22  :  13  ;  Judges  18  :  5. 

While  the  prophets  were  permanent,  and  the  priests  not 
so  much  so,  yet  in  Ezra  2  :  63,  they  are  commanded  not 
"  to  eat  of  the  most  holy  things  till  there  stood  up  a  priest 
with  Urim  and  Thummin."  And  in  John  11  :  51,  the 
high-priest  prophesied  of  Christ's  death.  In  regard  to  im- 
mediate divine  communication  there  is  this  distinction: 
the  prophet  received  his  knowledge  by  the  direct  illumina- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit,  while  the  priest  received  his  knowl- 
edge from  Urim  and  Thummin,  or  the  ephod  belonging  to 
it.  The  difference  between  them  may' be  illustrated  by  the 
heathen  omens  as  opposed  to  augurs.  Beside  the  super- 
natural responses,  it  was  the  ordinary  province  of  the  priest 
to  teach  the  law  to  the  people,  and  to  deliver  the  will  of 
God  to  them  in  doubtful  cases,  Lev.  10  :  10;  Haggai  2: 
11.  The  prophets  were  to  intercede  for  the  people  ontyby 
the  free  offering  of  prayer;  the  priests  by  symbolical  ritual, 
Lev.  10  :  3  ;  Deut.  33  :  10. 

Judges. — Another  sacred  order  of  men  were  the  judges 
— extraordinary  judges.  They,  like  prophets,  were  the  im- 
mediate representatives  of  God,  hence  they  were  called  to 
their  office  by  the  direct  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They 
were  limited  to  no  particular  tribe,  family,  rank,  occupa- 
tion, sex.     Deborah  was  a  judge,  Judges  6:  4.     Like  the 


13 

prophets,  they  were  inspired,  were  under  the  immediate 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  for  different  purposes. 
They  were  not  to  teach,  but  to  rule.  They  were  fitted  for 
the  special  duties  of  their  office.  The  office  of  judge  was 
executive  and  administrative.  They  were  extraordinary 
magistrates  and  leaders  raised  up  by  God  himself  in  time 
of  special  need.  They  may  be  called  divinely  appointed 
dictators.  The  prophets  were  divinely  inspired  teachers, 
or  expounders  of  the  will  of  God,  but  exercised  none  of  the 
functions  of  the  magistracy.  Their  aims  were  not  politi-  % 
cal.  Their  words  are  not  to  be  viewed  in  a  political  or  ? 
pariotic  aspect.  We  do  occasionally  find  them  confronting  ' 
kings,  but  they  do  not  on  this  account  deserve  to  be  es- 
teemed as  tribunes  of  the  people  or  guardians  of  public 
liberty.  .  Elijah  came  into  repeated  conflicts  with  Ahab ; 
Elisha  sent  a  youth  to  anoint  Jehu  as  king  of  Israel  and  de- 
stroyer of  the  house  of  Ahab.  Hosea  and  Isaiah  denounced 
the  dangerous  alliance  of  the  kings  with  Assyria  and  Egypt. 
Jeremiah  was  also  against  Zedekiah.  In  all  these  cases 
they  acted  as  teachers  from  God,  not  as  politicians,  but  as 
religious  instructors.  They  did  not  seek  the  office,  and 
were  not  building  up  a  political  party  ;  they  were  not  dema- 
gogues. What  they  opposed  was  not  on  the  ground  of  im- 
policy, but  sin.  What  they  maintained  was  for  the  honor 
and  the  law  of  God.  We  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  gov- 
ernment of  Israel  differed  from  all  others.  In  the  true 
sense  it  was  a  theocracy.  It  was  governed  by  the  direct 
manifestation  of  God's  will.  He  gave  them  law,  appointed 
their  rulers  ;  they  were  his  vicegerents,  and  hence  this  gave 
a  religious  complexion  to  all  the  affairs  of  state.  The 
idolatry  of  Ahab's  house  was  a  violation  of  the  constitution 
of  Israel,  as  the  covenant  people  of  God,  and  so  often  called 
for  the  intervention  of  the  prophets.  Alliances  with  heathen 
nations  were  crimes  against  the  government  of  Israel,  and 
the  will  of  God.  The  evil  which  the  prophets  predicted 
was  held  up  as  the  just  judgments  of  God.  When  the 
prophets  were  consulted  by  kings  and  rulers,  the  responses 
were  not  dictated  by  policy,  but  by  the  divine  will. 

While  the  prophets  were  such,  and  while  they  stand  side 
by  side  with  the  priests  and  judges,  yet  their  powers  were 
limited  only  by  their  great  commissions  from  God.  Their 
office  might  be  so  extended  as  to  comprehend  all  the  others. 
The  prophets  performed  any  functions  that  the  occasion 
might  demand.     So,  in  cases  of  emergency,  they  might  act 


14 

either  as  priests,  judges  or  rulers.  It  was  not  a  profane  in- 
trusion for  a  prophet  to  offer  sacrifices,  as  it  would  be  for 
any  one  else,  e.  g.,  in  the  days  of  the  degeneracy  of  Saul. 
Here  the  prophets  assumed  the  functions  of  priest.  Samuel, 
though  not  a  priest,  yet  offered  sacrifices  by  virtue  of  his 
right  as  an  immediate  messenger  of  God.  So  also  of  Elijah 
and  Elisha.  The  ordinary  officers  had  abdicated,  or  had 
been  deposed.  Elijah  sacrificed  at  Carmel.  Bread  of  the 
first-fruits  was  brought  to  Elisha,  which  he  was  commanded 
to  give  to  the  hungry  people,  2  Kings  4  :  42.  These  fruits 
were  due  to  the  priests.  The  people  resorted  to  Elisha  at 
new-moons,  and  on  the  Sabbath,  etc.,  2  Kings  4 :  23. 
Samuel  took  supreme  direction  over  the  commonwealth, 
and  acting  as  judge  anointed  Saul  king,  1  Sam.  7:  15.  He 
subsequent]}7  deposed  him  and  appointed  David.  Ahijah 
prophesies  to  Jeroboam,  1  Kings  11  :  29.  Elijah  was  di- 
rected to  anoint  Hazael  king  over  Syria,  and  Jehu  king 
over  Israel,  1  Kings  19  :  15,  16  ;  2  Kings  8 :  12,  13.  Not 
only  did  they  depose  and  set  up  rulers  over  the  people  of 
God,  but  over  heathen  states  as  well,  being  the  ambassa- 
dors of  that  God  who  is  ruler  and  supreme  governor  of  the 
universe. 

It  only  remains  now  to  examine  the  position  of  the 
prophets  among  the  methods  of  divine  communication. 
There  is  a  growing  nearness  aud  fullness.  There  is  a  dif- 
ference in  the  modes  of  God's  revelations  of  himself.  By 
the  first  method,  we  hnve  : 

1.  The  Theophany,  characteristic  of  the  patriarchal 
period.  God  made  himself  personally  known.  He  spoke 
in  audible  voice  to  Abraham  concerning  the  offering  up  of 
his  son  Isaac;  to  Jacob,  Abimelech  and  Laban  in  dreams. 
He  appeared  in  human  form  to  Abraham  in  the  plains  of 
Mam  re,  face  to  face.  Then  God  needed  no  agent.  But 
when  the  flood  came,  and  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  God  himself  declared  it,  and  sent  them  out. 

2.  When  the  seed  of  the  patriarchs  swelled  into  a  nation, 
a  new  mode  of  revelation  was  needed  and  supplied.  The 
will  of  God  was  now  revealed  through  prophets,  especially 
Moses.  God  no  longer  stood  aloof  from  and  out  of  con- 
nection with  men,  so  to  speak.  Divine  virtue  was  now 
made  resident  in  particular  men.  The  spirit  descended 
upon  them,  aud  made  them  the  depositaries  of  His  will ; 
Amos  3:  7,  "  He  revealeth  His  secrets  unto  His  servants 
the  prophets."     In  the  solemn  transactions  at  Sinai,  when 


15 

the  covenant  of  God  was  to  be  made  between  Him  and  His 
people,  He  spoke  once  more  with  His  own  voice,  but  all 
further  communications  were  made  through  Moses,  and  the 
prophets  raised  up  like  to  Him.  Miracles  were  wrought, 
and  revelations  made  through  them,  e.  g.,  the  plagues  of 
Egypt  were  sent  and  removed  at  the  bidding  of  Moses. 
So,  also,  the  Red  sea  was  divided  at  the  uplifting  of  his 
rod.  At  his  word  the  manna  came  down  from  heaven,  and 
water  gushed  forth  from  the  flinty  rock  for  the  famishing 
people.  The  drought  came  and  disappeared  at  the  bidding 
of  Elijah.  Sennacherib  was  not  destroyed  until  Isaiah  had 
first  foretold  it.  This  second  mode  or  stage  of  revelation, 
while  an  advance  on  the  theophany,  was  not  the  ultimate 
and  highest,  for  Paul  says  in  1  Cor.  13 :  8-10,  "  But 
whether  there  be  prophecies,  they  shall  fail ;  whether  there 
be  tongues,  they  shall  cease  ;  whether  there  be  knowledge, 
it  shall  vanish  away."  Thus  he  shows  that  prophecy  was 
preparatory  to  and  emblematic  of  the  future. 

3.  The  prophetic  idea  is  realized  in  two  forms  ;  a.  In- 
dividual;  6.  Universal.  All  these  gifts,  etc.,  of  prophets 
in  the  O.  T.  are  but  types  of  better  things  to  come. 

a.  The  prophetic  idea  found  its  consummation  in  the 
person  of  Christ.  He  was  the  prophet  of  God  in  the  high- 
est sense,  Deut.  18:  18;  Is.  42-:  1;  49:  1;  61:  1.  God 
no  longer  acts  remotely ;  He  no  longer  speaks  from 
heaven,  nor  through  His  servants,  but  comes  Himself  as 
a  man  to  instruct  and  bless  His  people.  The  prophets 
were  thus  types  of  Christ.  The  ladder  which  Jacob  saw 
reaching  down  from  heaven  to  earth,  is  thus  fully  realized. 

b.  Universal  revelations.  The  idea  of  the  prophets  was 
destined  also  to  be  universally  realized  in  the  entire  body 
of  the  people  of  God.  The  prophets  belonged  to  the  peo- 
ple. They  had  no  native  gifts  of  divination;  they  did  not 
exercise  their  gifts  for  their  own  benefit,  but  for  the  good 
of  the  people  at  large.  They  were  established  among  the 
people  for  the  people.  The  spirit  of  prophecy  belonged  not 
to  the  prophets  alone,  but  to  all  Israel,  but  was  restricted 
to  one  individual  at  first,  e.  y.,N~um.  11  :  29,  "  Enviestthou 
for  my  sake  ?  Would  God  that  all  the  Lord's  people  were 
prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would  put  His  spirit  upon 
them  !"  When  Moses  desired  in  this  passage  that  all  the 
people  might  become  prophets,  he  expressed  what  he  be- 
held in  type  and  pledge,  which  was  yet  to  reach  its  final 
culmination.     The  ultimate  form  of  communication  is  not 


16 

through  the  few,  but  when  Christ  shall  come  and  abide,  the 
Teacher  and  the  Sanctifier,  of  all  the  truly  regenerate. 
Joel  2  :  28,  predicts  "  the  day  when  the  spirit  of  God  shall 
be  poured  out  on  all  flesh."  Jer.  31 :  34.  "  And  they  shall 
teach  no  more  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his 
brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord  :  for  they  shall  all  know  me, 
from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the 
Lord."  Then  shall  the  necessity  of  all  prophetic  instruc- 
tion be  superseded,  and  the  prophetic  order  itself  swallowed 
up  in  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  in  each  and  every  be- 
liever. 

Different  Classification  Proposed.  —  A  somewhat 
difierent  classification  his  been  proposed  by  some,  corres- 
ponding to  the  three  leading  dispensations,  viz. :  the  Patri- 
archal. Mosaic  and  Christian.  This  was  the  classification 
favored  by  Dr.  Moore,  formerly  of  Richmond,  Va.,  now 
dead,  in  his  "  Prophets  of  the  Restoration."  (See  Com- 
mentary). 

1.  In  the  Patriarchal  the  form  of  divine  communication 
was  theophanic. 

2.  In  the  Mosaic,  theopnenstic. 

3.  In  the  Christian,  theologic.  In  this,  the  will  of  God 
is  made  known  by  divine  writings,  the  living  Word.  The 
present  form  is  the  only  one  that  can  be  really  universal. 
The  prophets  in  this  form  meet  us  now,  not  in  prophetic 
office,  but  in  the  prophetic  word.  The  next  will  be  the 
return  of  Christ,  and  the  completion  of  the  circle,  back 
again  to  the  theophanic,  when  "  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see 
God,"  and  be  admitted  to  His  presence  in  heaven. 

The  prophetic  office  itself  is  divided  into  three  great 
eras,  corresponding  to  the  three  great  dispensations  to 
which  they  are  referred. 

1.  Theophanic. — This  extends  from  Moses  to  Samuel. 
In  this  the  office  was  rarely  filled.  There  was  no  regular 
succession  of  prophets. 

2.  Theopneusiic. — From  Samuel  to  Hosea.  This  is  the 
era  of  the  prophets  of  action,  who  were  mainly  occupied 
with  the  present,  and  so  left  but  few  writings  behind  them. 

3.  Theologic. — This  period  is  marked  by  inspired  men. 
It  began  with  Hosea.  The  whole  period  of  phophecy  dur- 
ing this  era  looked  more  to  future  events.  All  the  books 
were  written  during  this  period,  and  hence  it  is  called  the 
Theologic  era,  or  marked  revelation  of  truth.  They  turned 
away  from  what  had  gone  before.     The  office  marked  the 


17 

mercy  of  God's  grace  to  men.  The  last  phase  culminated 
in  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God.  He  assumed  our 
human  nature,  and  dwelling  among  us,  became  the  per- 
sonal Word. 


II.  THE  PROPHETIC  ORDER. 

The  law  of  Moses  contemplated  and  made  preparation 
for  the  prophets,  as  it  did  also  for  the  kings.  It  is  plain 
that,  though  coming  from  Moses,  the  scheme  of  divine 
communication  was  not  to  end  with  him,  but  it  was  to  be 
perpetuated  by  others  like  unto  him.  As  to  the  govern- 
ment, the  people  were  not  provided  with  kings  immediately 
after  Moses,  but  were  first  put  under  priests;  subsequently 
were  organized  under  judges;  and,  finally,  the  kingdom 
was  established.  So  of  the  prophetic  order,  it  was  contem- 
plated in  the  law,  but  did  not  begin  at  once.  The  term 
"  prophet"  was  general  at  first.  God  at  first  was  consulted 
through  the  priests.  The  prophets  appeared  only  sporadi- 
cally as  it  were.  Finally,  p  continuous  and  permanent 
order  was  created,  from  Samuel  onward,  as  kings  were  from 
Saul  and  David. 

A  "  prophet,"  in  its  wider  sense,  denotes  any  one  favored 
with  divine  communications.  In  Gen.  20  :  7,  Abraham  is 
called  a  prophet ;  in  Ps.  105  :  15,  David  is  referred  to  as  a 
prophet :  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets 
no  harm."     In  Acts  2:  30,  David  is  again  called  prophet. 

In  the  technical  and  more  restricted  sense,  the  term 
"  prophet  "  belongs  to  those  not  only  invested  with  the  gift 
of  prophecy,  but  especially  to  those  who  were  iuvested  with 
the  prophetic  office.  A  distinction  is  made  between  donum 
propheticum  and  muniis  propheticum.  In  an  official  sense, 
David  was  not  a  prophet,  but  a  king.  In  this  sense,  Moses 
was  more  than  a  prophet,  though  in  Hosea  12  :  13,  he  is 
called  a  prophet.  He  was  the  great  exemplar,  the  great 
lawgiver  of  Israel. 

There  were  other  prophets  in  the  time  of  Moses.  In 
Ex.  15  :  20 ;  Num.  12  :  2,  Miriam  is  called  a  prophetess. 
Eldad  and  Medad,  and  the  seventy  elders  are  called  proph- 
ets, in  Num.  11  :  25,  26.     In   Judges  2  :  1,   probably  an 


18 

angel  speaks,  yet  men  of  God  are  spoken  of  as  His  mes- 
sengers, e.  g:,  1  Sam.  2  :  27,  '*  And  there  came  a  man  of 
God  unto  EH,"  etc.  So  in  Judges  6:  8,  men  of  God  are 
spoken  of  as  prophets.  The  prophetic  office,  however,  ap- 
pears in  its  full  and  complete  form  tor  the  first  time  in  the 
time  of  Samuel,  Acts  3:  24.  Before  the  time  of  Samuel 
prophecy  was  rare,  as  is  seen  from  1  Sam.  3  :  1,  "  The  word 
of  the  Lord  was  precious  in  those  days,  there  was  no  open 
vision."  After  the  time  of  Samuel,  though  rare,  the  office 
was  regularly  transmitted,  and  seems  never  to  have  been 
entirely  suspended  until  the  time  of  Malachi. 

Seer  and  Prophet. — The  opinion  has  been  pressed  by 
some  that  the  seer  possessed  the  gift  of  prophecy,  but  not 
the  office,  and  thus  was  distinguished  from  prophets,  who 
had  both  the  gift  and  the  office.  Some  say  it  implies  the 
office  as  well  as  the  gift,  and  the  Scriptures  give  the  name 
prophet  to  every  one  who  was  a  seer.  This  distinction 
holds  good,  according  to  the  derivation  of  the  words  seer 
and  prophet,  but  it  is  not  sustained  in  the  O.  T.  usage,  e.g., 
1  Sam.  9  :  9.  The  names  prophets  and  seer  are  both  given. 
The  words  are  used  as  synonymous.  Roeh,  seer,  was  ap- 
plied to  Samuel  almost  exclusively.  The  original  word  for 
prophet  was  nabhi,  to  boil  up,  to  pour  forth  words,  but  the 
function  of  address  was  small.  The  people  consulted  them 
principally  in  regard  to  the  future.  Moses  had  this  term 
applied  to  him,  because  he  taught ;  but  seer  was  the  usual 
term  applied  to  Samuel.  After  the  change  noted  in  1  Sam. 
9  :  9,  the  word  prophet  was  revived,  and  became  the  stan- 
dard.    In  1  Chron.  29  :  29,  we  have  three  terms  for  prophet. 

The  Call  of  the  Prophets.— The  call  of  the  prophets 
came  immediately  from  God  Himself,  Amos  7  :  15,  '*  And 
the  Lord  took  me;"  Jer.  1:  4,  "The  word  of  the  Lord 
came  unto  me ;"  Ezek.  chaps.  1  and  2.  The  charge  laid  on 
-Isaiah  in  the  sixth  chapter  has  been  supposed  by  many  to 
be  his  original  call,  but  it  is  more  probably  a  re-investiture, 
designed  to  fit  him  for  a  new  and  special  work,  like  that  of 
John  in  Rev.  1 :  10  ;  or  Paul  in  Acts  22  :  17.  In  the  call 
of  prophets,  human  instrumentality  is  only  once  mentioned, 
and  that  was  in  the  case  of  anointing  Elisha  by  Elijah,  in 
1  Kings  19  :  16.  In  the  19th  verse,  "  cast  his  mantle  upon 
him."  This  was  a  aymbolic  act.  This  departure  from  the 
ordinary  custom  was  peculiar.  The  prophets  then  had  to 
act  in  the  functions  of  the  theocracy.  The  absence  of  all 
allusion  to  human  agency  shows  that  prophets  probably  had 


19 

no  rite  of  induction  into  office.  In  Deut.  34  :  9,  Moses 
laid  his  hands  on  his  successor  Joshua,  to  show  the  imparta- 
tion  of  the  Spirit,  but  there  is  no  good  reason  tor  suppos- 
ing there  was  any  such  ceremony  in  the  line  of  the  proph- 
ets. In  Ps.  105  :  15,  the  term  "  anointed  "  occurs  parallel 
with  the  term  "  prophet."  In  Is.  61 :  1,  the  same  term  is 
used.  Anointing  is  symbolical  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
hence  it  is  inferred  that  unction  was  as  customary  in  the 
installation  of  prophets  as  of  kings.  The  only  case  where 
it  is  spoken  of  or  commanded,  is  in  1  Kings  19  :  16.  "And 
Elisha  ***  shalt  thou  anoint  to  be  prophet  in  thy  room." 
But  in  this  case  there  is  no  mention  of  its  actual  occur- 
rence. When  Elijah  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  his  mantle 
fell  upon  Elisha  as  a  symbol  and  pledge,  that  a  double  por- 
tion of  Elijah's  spirit  should  rest  upon  him,  2  Kings  2  :  10. 
But  the  prophets  in  most  cases  stood  in  no  such  relation  of 
succession  as  Joshua  to  Moses,  and  Elisha  to  Elijah.  There 
is  no  propriety  in  any  such  inductions  to  office.  The  pos- 
session of  the  spirit  of  God  was  a  sufficient  induction. 

Age  op  the  Prophets.— The  priests  entered  upon  their 
work  at  a  precise  and  regulated  time.  This  probably  was 
not  the  case  with  prophets,  called  at  God's  time.  The  ouly 
one  whose  age  is  especially  mentioned,  in  Ezekiel,  1  :  1. 
It  is  here  insinuated  that  Ezekiel  began  to  prophesy  when 
thirty  years  old,  but  he  was  a  priest,  and  this  may  account 
for  it.  Being  of  priestly  orign,  and  debarred  by  the  cap- 
tivity from  entering  the  priesthood,  he  was  called  at  the 
same  age  as  in  the  priesthood.  He  is  the  only  one  whose 
age  is  mentioned  at  the  beginning.  Zechariah  was  called 
when  "  a  young  man,"  2  :  4.  Samuel  when  "  a  child."  1 
Sam.  3  :  1,  "  The  child  Samuel."  So  also  Jeremiah,  1  :  6. 
"  Behold,  I  can  not  speak,  for  I  am  a  child."  Daniel  when 
a  child  or  youth,  for  a  different  term  is  used  in  the  Hebrew 
(Dan.  1 :  7.)  From  the  great  length  of  Hosea's  ministry, 
60  years,  it  has  been  inferred  that  he  entered  upon  it  at  a 
very  early  age.  Haggai,  2  :  3,  must  have  begun  his  pro- 
phetic work  when  advanced  in  life.  He  saw  the  temple  in 
its  glory. 

In  1  Sam.  10  :  5-10,  we  read  of  a  "  company  of  proph- 
phets."  The  "  hill  of  God"  was  probably  Gibeah.  In  1 
Sam.  19:  20,  another  company  at  Naioth  in  Ramah, 
Samuel's  birthplace,  is  mentioned.  Both  Saul  and  his 
messengers  were  overcome,  when  they  met  the  prophets, 
and  they  prophesied  also.     The  "hill  of  God"  may  have 


20 

been  so  called  because  it  was  the  abode  of  these  prophets, 
or  perhaps  because  they  were  passing  it.  Others  say  there 
is  no  evidence  for  this.  The  word  Naioth  means  habita- 
tions, and  this  was  the  common  name  for  the  residence  of 
the  prophets.  In  the  Targum  it  is  translated  "  schools  " 
or  "house  of  instruction."  In  2  Kings  22:  14,  we  have 
the  same  term,  college,  whence  we  obtain  the  expression 
"  schools  of  the  prophets."  The  Bible  terms  are  not  ap- 
plicable to  our  idea.  These  schools,  or  company  of  proph- 
ets, are  not  heard  of  in  Judah  after  the  time  of  Samuel. 
In  2  Kings  22  :  14,  college  or  prophetic  school  is  not  meant, 
but  "  ward."  Huldah,  the  prophetess,  lived  in  the  lower 
part  or  ward  of  the  city.  There  is  no  authority  for  saying 
these  companies  of  prophets  were  to  be  permanent.  They 
were  establishments  constructed  for  the  time  and  place,  and 
they  ceased  with  the  exigency  that  brought  them  into  ex- 
istence. They  were  not  schools  for  instruction  to  train  men 
for  the  prophetic  office,  but  they  were  bands  of  men,  as  the 
term  implies,  already  invested  with  the  office,  and  with  a 
power  sufficient  to  affect  all  coming  into  contact  with  them. 
The  fact,  then,  would  appear  to  be  this  :  that  they  were 
men  of  God  brought  together,  so  that  under  the  direction 
of  Samuel  they  might  be  centers  of  reformation,  in  the 
midst  of  great  apostasy. 

Music. — As  music  was  mentioned  in  1  Sam.  10  :  5-10, 
it  has  been  argued  that  singing  formed  part  of  their  ex- 
ercises. That  music  was  taught  is  plausible,  and  it  has 
been  conjectured  that  thus  David  may  have  learned  to  be- 
come "  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel."  In  1  Chron.  25 :  1, 
David  distributed  the  service  of  song  among  the  Levites, 
who  are  spoken  of  as  prophets. 

Historians. — As  the  prophets  were  the  historiographers 
of  the  nation,  it  has  also  been  supposed  from  1  Chron.  29  : 
29,  that  recording  the  history  of  God's  people  was  a  part 
of  the  work  of  the  prophets. 

Sons  of  the  Prophets. — It  has  been  supposed  that 
"  sons  of  the  prophets  "  formed  an  analogous  company  in 
Israel.  In  the  history  of  Elijah  and  Elisha  we  have  fre- 
quent mention  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets,  e.  </.,  Kings  4: 
38  ;  6 :  1.  These  sons  of  the  prophets  were  pupils  or  ad- 
herents of  the  prophets,  residing  in  considerable  numbers 
at  times,  as  would  appear  trom  the  passages  above  cited. 

Maintenance  of  the  Prophets.— From  2  Kings  4  :  38- 
44  we  see  that,  though  not  monastic,  or  celibates,  yet  con- 


21 

tributions  were  made  for  their  maintenance.  There  were 
communities  at  Bethel,  2  Kings  2:3;  Jericho  and  Gilgal. 
Two  of  these  places,  Bethel  and  Gilgal,  were  prominent 
seats  of  idolatrous  worship.  This  shows  reason  why  the 
prophets  intended  them  to  be  centers  of  Reformation,  and 
opposed  to  idolatry.  How  long  these  institutions  continued 
is  not  known.  Amos  7  :  14,  is  the  only  place  where  they 
are  mentioned  after  the  time  of  Elisha.  He  says  :  "  I  was 
no  prophet,  neither  was  I  a  prophet's  son."  In  2  Kings  9 : 
1,  Elisha  seut  one  of  them  to  anoint  Jehu.  The  sons  of 
the  prophets  were  sometimes  delegated  to  act  in  the  place 
of  a  prophet,  as  in  the  above  passage.  Some  were  inspired 
though  not  all  of  them.  In  2  Kings  3  :  5,  those  at  Bethel 
knew  and  told  Elisha  that  Elijah  would  be  taken  away.  It 
does  not  appear  that  the  prophets  were  ordiuaril}'- taken 
from  these  institutions,  or  received  any  special  training  for 
their  work.  Elisha  was  trained  by  Elijah,  but  this  was  a 
peculiar  case,  and  a  rare  exception. 

Mode  of  Life. — Of  the  mode  of  life  of  the  prophets  little 
is  said.  Only  incidentally  is  it  alluded  to,  so  that  we  infer 
that  in  most  respects  it  was  like  that  of  other  men.  As  an 
appropriate  dress  for  their  work,  they  wore  a  garment  of 
hair,  e.g.,  in  Zech.  13  :  4,  "  Neither  shall  they  wear  a  rough 
garment  to  deceive."  Is.  20  :  2,  "  Go  and  loose  the  sack- 
cloth from  oft'  thy  loine."  This  perhaps  is  the  same  refer- 
red to  in  2  Kings  1 :  8,  where  Elijah  is  called  a  "  hairy 
man."  This  official  dress  was  the  mantle  which  Elijah  cast 
upon  Elisha.  This  wTas  not  worn  as  by  an  ascetic,  but  as 
a  mourner's  dress,  mourning  for  the  sins  of  the  people,  as 
a  preacher  of  repentance,  Dan.  9  :  18  ;  Ezek.  24  :  18. 

Their  Homes. — The  prophets  usually  dwelt  in  their  own 
houses.  Some  of  them  were  married,  and  had  families — 
Isaiah,  Samuel,  Ezekiel.  Jeremiah,  16  :  2,  were  forbidden 
to  marry.  Some  of  them  had  servants,  e.  //.,  Elijah  had 
Elisha  in  constaut  attendance ;  Elisha  had  Gehazi ;  Jere- 
miah had  Barak. 

Inspiration. — As  to  inspiration  it  would  seem  to  have 
been  temporary,  e.  g.,  Saul  had  only  temporary  inspiration, 
1  Sam.  10  :  10.  The  seventy  elders,  in  Num.  11  :  25,  pro- 
phesied, but  did  not  add,  I  e.,  they  did  not  continue  to 
prophesy.  Our  version  conveys  just  the  contrary,  "  proph- 
esied, and  did  not  cease."  Those  who  were  permanently 
in  the  prophetic  office,  seem  not  to  have  been  under  the 
permanent  influence  of  the  Spirit.     What  would  seem  to 


22 

have  been  from  foresight,  they  only  knew  when  communi- 
cated, and  what  it  was.  This  was  the  case  with  Moses, 
Lev.  24:  12.  He  did  uot  judge  until  the  will  of  the  Lord 
was  made  known.  So  in  the  case  of  Samuel,  his  own  pri- 
vate thought  is  distinguished  from  that  of  God.  This  is 
shown  in  his  dealing  with  the  sons  of  Jesse,  1  Sam.  16 : 
6,  7.  Nathan  first  told  David  to  build  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  but  afterward  told  him  God  had  forbidden  it,  2  Sam. 
7  :  3.  All  this  is  important  in  showing  the  nature  of  pro- 
phetic power.  They  knew  and  exercised,  not  at  all  times, 
but  as  God  told  them  to  speak.  Elisha  said,  "  The  word 
of  the  Lord  came  unto  them."  This  shows  the  distinction 
between  their  ordinary  and  inspired  condition.  Hence  it 
is  said  by  some  that  the  spirit  of  prophecy  is  intermittent, 
in  the- way  of  transient  impression,  and  not  pro  modum, 
John  14:  16,  17.  Some  think  the  inspiration  of  0.  T. 
prophets  is  thus  inferior  to  that  of  the  apostles.  From 
Num.  12:  6-8,  it  is  supposed  that  there  are  different  modes 
of  revelation.  The  circumstances  are  these  :  Aaron  and 
Miriam  had  resisted  the  leadership  of  Moses.  At  this 
time  Moses  was  the  chief  organ  of  divine  communication. 
The  revelations  of  the  others  are  shown  to  be,  from 
their  inferiority  of  character,  subordinate  to  his,  by  their 
intrinsic  character,  and  by  the  way  they  were  made 
known.  There  was  no  sufficient  reason  for  believing  this 
was  permanent.  "When  the  prophets  were  raised  up,  "like 
unto  Moses,"  why  should  not  the  Lord  speak  to  them  as 
to  Moses?  Deut.  34:  10,  refers  to  the  age  immediately 
succeeding  Moses,  and  so  need  not  be  applied  to  the  entire 
condition.  Moses  beheld  the  similitude  of  God,  and  spake 
with  him  face  to  face.  If  the  former  passages  are  made  to 
cover  the  period  of  all  the  prophets,  it  does  not  confer  on 
them  the  same  power  as  on  Moses,  but  shows  they  are 
thereby  only  inferior  to  Moses  in  the  special  way  of  receiv- 
ing their  communications.  Moses  talked  with  God  face  to 
face,  while  the  others  received  theirs  only  by  signs,  visions, 
etc. 

This  question  is  principally  important  only  as  it  relates 
to  the  state  of  mind  of  the  prophets  when  they  received 
their  message.  Hengstenberg  maiutains  that  the  ordinary 
faculties  of  the  mind — consciousness,  understanding,  etc., 
— of  the  prophet  were  for  the  time  suspended,  and  only  the 
spiritual  faculties  awake ; — that  they  were  in  an  ecstatic 
state  when   they  prophesied.     It  is  true  that  this  was  the 


23 

case  sometimes;  it  was  so  in  visions.  So  with  the  proph- 
ets, their  minds  were  completely  absorbed  in  what  they 
we're  going  to  say,  or  rather  in  what  was  within  them. 
Dan.  8  :  27,  "  And  I,  Daniel,  fainted,  and  was  sick  certain 
days."  He  was  physically  exhausted.  This  also  was  oc- 
casionally the  case  with  the  apostles,  as  Peter  was  iu  a 
trance  when  he  saw  the  sheet  let  down  from  heaven,  Acts 
10:  10.  John,  also,  while  in  Patmos.  The  apostle  Paul 
was  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  2  Cor.  12  :  2,  3.  It 
cannot  be  argued  from  these  that  the  prophets  always  re- 
ceived their  impressions  in  this  way,  any  more  than  that 
the  apostles  did.  Usually  they  were  in  their  ordinary  state 
of  mind.  Some  impressions  are  produced  by  their  writ- 
ings in  which  it  is  seen  that  all  their  functions  were  at 
work.  This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  their  peculiarities 
of  style  are  brought  out  as  in  profane  writers.  This  has 
been  the  belief  of  the  church  aud  the  apostolic  fathers. 

Inward  suggestion.— It  would  appear  from  the  scanty 
hints  on  this  subject  that  divine  communications  were  usu- 
ally by  inward  suggestion,  and  these  they  were  able  to  dis- 
tinguish from  their  ordinary  thoughts  in  some  manner 
which  we  can  not  understand.'    There  were  also  other  ways. 

Audible  voice.— As  in  1  Sam.  3:4,"  The  Lord  called 
Samuel,  and  he  answered,  Here  am  I."  Num.  7  :  8,  9. 
At  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  Matt.  3  :  17.  At  the  transfigu- 
ration, Matt.  17  :  5.  Paul's  conversion,  Acts  9  :  4.  John 
12  :  28,  29,  "  I  have  both  glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it 
again." 

Angels  were  sometimes  employed  to  communicate  to 
the  prophets,  as  iu  Dan.  9:  21,  "Even  the  man  Gabriel, 
whom  I  had  seen  in  vision,"  etc.,  "  touched  me." 

Visions.— Sometimes  these  announcements  were  made 
known  by  visions.  Some  writers  have  gone  to  the  extreme 
of  denying  that  the  prophets  had  any  visions  at  all.  They 
claim  that  this  was  only  the  form  or  dress  in  which  they 
clothed  what  they  wished  to  say.  But  there  can  be  no 
doubt  but  that  visions  were  really  presented  to  their  minds 
as  they  record  them.  When  given  iu  detail,  it  is  said  such 
minutiae  would  not  remain.  These  are  more  frequent  in 
some  prophets  than  in  others.  This  shows  vividness.  Vis- 
ions were  more  vivid  with  the  later  prophets,  e.  g.,  Ezekiel, 
Daniel,  and  Zechariah  ;  also  Amos  7  ;  Is.  6  ;  Jer.  1.  Vis- 
ions were,  1.  Of  sensible  objects,  as  when  Ezekiel  sees  the 
temple,  8  :  3 ;  11 : ■  1.     2.  a.  Of  symbolic  objects  as  repre- 


24 

sentative  images  of  auother  order  of  creation.  6.  Or  as 
sacred  symbols  of  the  sanctuary,  e.  g.t  Ezekiel's  vision  of 
the  cherubim  of  the  High  Priest ;  of  the  candlestick,  in 
the  vision  of  Zechariah,  chaps.  3  and  4.  c.  Or  as  symbols 
may  be  natural  emblems,  as  in  Jeremiah's  vision,  1 :  13,  of 
a  ';  seething  pot,"  i.  e.,  evils  which  were  to  come  upon  the 
people.  Also  Daniel's  vision  of  the  four  beasts,  Dan.  7. 
3.  Visions  of  supersensuous  beings.  God  appears  in  vis- 
ions ;  so  do  angels,  Is.  6. 

Sometimes  the  prophets  sought  for  revelations  before 
they  were  given,  e.  g.,  Daniel  in  the  case  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar's dream.  In  most  cases,  however,  revelations  were  un- 
solicited. Upon  one  occasion,  Elisha  asked  for  a  minstrel, 
2  Kings  3  :  15,  and  when  the  minstrel  played,  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  came  upon  him.  Ordinarily  no  external  aid  seems 
to  have  been  used,  Dan.  12  :  8.  The  prophets  did  not 
always  understand  the  meaning  of  what  was  revealed  to 
them.     In  Zech.  1  :  9-19,  an  angel  interpreted  to  Zechariah. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  PROPHETS. 

Before  entering  upon  the  subject  specifically,  it  may  be 
of  advantage  to  us  to  take  a  general  survey  of  the  classes 
and  groups  into  which  it  is  divided.  It  will  thus  prepare 
us  for  a  better  understanding  of  the  whole. 

Number  or  Prophets. — There  are  preserved  in  the  O. 
T.  the  names  of  thirty-eight  prophets,  three  prophetesses, 
and  six  or  seven  others,  whose  names  are  not  given.  These 
are  but  a  small  propertion  of  the  whole  number.  The 
companies  of  prophets,  the  language  of  Scripture  shows  to 
be  great  companies  gathered  at  the  centre  of  influence. 
These  were  inspired  men  throughout  the  kingdom.  In  2 
Kings  2 :  7-16,  we  read  of  fifty  prophets,  or  fifty  men  of 
the  sons  of  the  prophets  at  Jericho.  In  1  Kings  18  :  4,  we 
read  of  one  hundred  prophets  being  saved  by  pious  Oba- 
diah.  He  hid  them  in  caves  from  the  persecutions  of 
Jezebel.  There  were  also  idolatrous  prophets,  e.  g.,  1 
Kings  18  :  19,  we  find  the  prophets  of  Baal,  450  ;  and  the 
prophets  of  Astarte,  400,  who  ate  at  Jezebel's  table.  If  so 
many  were  emplo3*ed  in  a  false   religion,  why   not  at  least 


25 

an  equal  number  in  the  service  of  the  true  religion  ?  We 
find  only  vague  expressions  during  the  period  where  more 
are  named.  2  Chron.  24  :  19  ;  33:18;  36:15.  These 
inspired  men  only  formed  the  permanent  witnesses  of  God  ; 
they  supplied  the  place  of  ordinary  teachers.  Only  the 
more  prominent  are  mentioned  or  referred  to  in  the  sacred 
records,  so  we  infer  there  were  not  only  one  or  two  at  a 
time,  but  scores  and  hundreds  in  every  age,  even  when  not 
named.  This  great  body  of  prophets  who  were  the  reposi- 
tories of  God's  will,  have  been  variously  classified. 

1.  The  anonymous  prophets,  and  those  whose  names  are 
mentioned. —  The  anonymous  were  by  far  the  greater  in 
number  and  aggregate  influence.  All  were  alike  in  inspi- 
ration and  authority.  Both  those  whose  names  have  been 
given  and  those  whose  names  have  not  been  preserved,  have 
played  an  important  part  in  sacred  history,  but  those  named 
were  most  prominent,  hence  their  names  are  preserved  for 
ns  in  the  Bible. 

2.  Canonical  and  Extra- Canonical. — The  Canonical  were 
charged  with  the  teaching  of  God's  people  in  all  ages,  and 
accordingly  they  have  left  writings  which  have  been  re- 
corded in  the  sacred  book.  These  comprise  all  whose 
names  are  mentioned  as  authors  of  books  in  the  O.  T.,  and 
also  the  authors  of  Joshua,  Judges,  1  and  2  Samuel,  and  1 
and  2  Kings.  The  Extra-Canonical  prophets  were  no  less 
inspired,  but  their  commission  was  to  their  contemporaries 
exclusively.  They  either  left  no  writings  at  all,  or  such  as 
were  to  have  no  place  in  the  canon,  and  hence,  what  they 
communicated  was  not  intended  for  a  permanent  rule  of 
faith.  Elijah,  Elisha,  and  others,  who  were  Extra-Canon- 
ical, have  a  larger  place  in  the  books  than  those  whose 
works  have  been  preserved.  This  division  is  not  the  same 
as  the  former.  Some  that  were  not  Canonical  were  of 
great  influence,  and  even  second  to  none  others,  e.  g., 
Elijah.  Some  of  the  anonymous  prophets  or  writers  were 
authors  of  historical  books  already  mentioned,  and  pre- 
served for  us  in  the  sacred  canon. 

3.  The  Former  and  Latter  Prophets. — The  Former  prophets 
were  authors  of  the  six  historical  books  already  mentioned. 
The  Latter  prophets  were  the  authors  of  the  strictly  pro- 
phetical books.  These  terms,  Former  and  Latter,  have 
reference  not  to  the  time  of  the  composition  of  the  books, 
but  are  due  simply  to  the  order  of  the  books  in  the  Hebrew 
canon.     The  Former  prophets  were  those  immediately  fol- 


26 

lowing   the  Pentateuch.     Judges  and  Samuel  were  written 
before  the  prophetic  books,  while  Kings  wTere  written  after. 
The  Former  prophets  were  all  anonymous,  and  by  unknown 
authors,  except  Joshua.     None  of  the  strictly  prophetical 
books,  so-called,  are  anonymoup,  but  their  names  are  found 
either  in  the  books  themselves,  or  attached  to  the  close. 
The  reason  for  this  is  that  prophecy  requires  divine  authen- 
tication attached  to  the  person,  his  character  and  history. 
It  was  essential  that  the  person  of  the  prophet  should  be 
known.     History  is  authenticated  by  being  proved  to  be  a 
true  narrative.     This  classification  does  not  embrace  such 
prophetical  works  as  are  found  in  other  parts  of  the  canon, 
e.  g.,  Lamentations  of  Jeremiah,  and  certain  Psalms,  such 
as  may  have  been  written  by  other  prophets.     The  book  of 
Daniel  stands  in  the  Hebrew  Bible,  not  among  the  prophet- 
ical books,  but  in  the  Hagiographa.      Some   say   it   was 
because  the  book  of  Daniel  was  written   in   exile,  and   out 
of  the  Holy  Land,  that  it  was  excluded   from   the  prophe- 
cies, but  this  furnishes  no  sufficient  reason,  for  the  same  is 
true  of  Ezekiel.     Others  allege  the  reason   to   be  that  the 
collection  of  the  prophets  was  completed  before  the  book 
of  Daniel  was  written,  and  hence  it  found  its  place  in   the 
later  division.     This  is  based  on  two  false  assumptions.     1. 
It  is  claimed  that  the  book  of  Daniel  is  not  genuine,  not 
written  by  him,  but  is   of  a  later  date,  and  written   by 
another  hand.     2.  It  is  assumed  that  different  parts   of  the 
canon  were  collected  at  widely  different   periods  of  time, 
instead  of  all  at  once,  as  it  really  was.     The  true   reason 
why  Daniel  is  found  among  the  Hagiographa  is  that  Daniel 
was  not  a  prophet  in  the  strict  and  official  sense.     He  was 
an  inspired  man,  but  did  not  exercise  prophetic  ministry 
among  the  people,  as  Ezekiel  and  Jeremiah  did.     He  held 
a  political  station— prime  minister  of  Babylon.     The  char- 
acter of  the  contents  of  this  book  justifies  us  ^classifying 
it  among  the  prophets,  in  our  present  classification. 

Turning  our  attention  to  the  Latter  prophets,  we  find 
they  may  be  classified  into  the  Major  and  Minor  prophets. 
This  has  reference  to  the  size  or  length,  and  not  to  the 
quality  or  rank. 

1.  The  Major  prophets  are  three:  Isaiah,  Jeremiah, 
Ezekiel;  to  which,  for  reasons  already  assigned,  we  may 
join  Daniel,  though  it  is  not  so  long.  Properly  it  belongs 
to  au  intermediate  place  between  the  two  classes. 


27 

2.  The  Minor  prophets  are  twelve  in  number.  In  all  the 
ancient  catalogues  of  Scripture,  they  are  regarded  as  one, 
under  the  name  of  "  the  twelve,"  "  the  twelve  prophets." 
On  account  of  their  brevity,  they  were  combined  for  con- 
venience, and  for  preserving  them  from  destruction. 
Though  thus  combined,  they  are  entirely  independent  in 
authority.  Their  arrangement  among  themselves  is,  for  the 
most  part,  chronological.  This  is  denied,  but  it  may  be 
said — 

a.  There  are  seven  out  of  the  twelve  books  whose  dates 
are  known,  and  they  stand  in  proper  chronological  order. 

b.  This  principle  determines  the  position  and  regular 
succession  in  other  parts  of  the  canon,  e.  g.,  in  the  Major 
prophets  ;  but  this  is  not  the  case  in  the  Hagiographa,  be- 
cause they  were  liturgical,  and  other  reasons  make  change 
in  them. 

c.  Tradition  favors  this.  Jerome  says  those  prophetical 
books  having  no  title  belong  to  the  reign  of  kings  named 
in  the  books  preceding  them. 

d.  There  is  nothing  in  the  books  themselves  to  show 
that  they  do  not  stand  in  chronological  order.  The  order 
is  determined  not  by  the  time  when  the  books  were  written, 
for  then  Hosea  would  come  after  Joel ;  nor  by  the  absolute 
time  of  the  beginning  of  each  prophet's  ministry,  for  then 
Jonah  would  precede  the  others,  2  Kings  14  :  25  ;  but  the 
order  is  determined  by  the  beginning  of  that  portion  of 
their  ministry  covered  by  those  books  which  bear  their 
names. 

The  arrangement  of  the  Minor  prophets  among  them- 
selves, as  well  as  their  arrangement  in  relation  to  the  Major 
prophets,  differs  in  the  Septuagint  from  that  in  the  Hebrew 
canon.  In  the  Septuagint,  Hosea  is  followed  by  Amos, 
probably  because  both  relate  to  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel. 
After  them,  comes  Micah  in  the  Septuagint,  which  relates 
to  both  Israel  and  Judah.  In  the  other  cases  the  Hebrew 
order  is  retained.  It  seems  that  the  Septuagint  departed 
from  the  Hebrew  because  of  territorial  reasons,  boundary 
being  followed. 

The  Major  prophets,  being  the  larger  and  more  impor- 
tant, stand  first  in  order  in  the  Hebrew  Bible.  In  the 
Septuagint,  the  order  is  reversed,  perhaps  because  of  chron- 
ological reasons  ;  or  perhaps  the  Minor  prophets,  because 
they  begin  with  Israel  and  end  with  Judah,  stand  first,  as 
the  Major  prophets  all  relate  to  Judah,  and  thus  all  the 


28 

prophets  of  Judah  came  together.  Hosea,  the  first  of  the 
Minor  prophets,  began  before  Isaiah,  the  first  of  the  Major 
prophets.  Or  because  the  Major  prophets  all  belong  to 
Judah,  and  so  correspond  with  the  end  of  the  Minor 
prophets. 

This  division  of  the  prophets  just  given,  into  Major  and 
Minor,  is  purely  external  and  formal.  It  does  not  affect 
the  authority  or  character.  There  is  more  breadth  and 
fullness  in  Micah  and  Zechariah,  and  ampler  instructions 
as  to  the  Messiah,  than  in  Jeremiah. 

Further  divisions  to  be  made  in  the  prophets  have  more 
vital  connection  with  the  nature  of  the  work,  and  the 
themes  on  which  they  respectively  dwell :  (1.)  Divisions  as 
to  the  sphere  of  labor,  and  the  tribes;  (2.)  Periods  of  their 
ministry. 

4.  Division  according  to  sphere  of  labor. — The  sphere  of 
the  prophets'  labor  i«  divided  into  the  prophets  of  Judah, 
and  the  prophets  of  Israel.  The  prophets  of  Israel  are 
Hosea,  Amos,  Jonah  ;  all  the  rest  are  prophets  of  Judah. 
The  book  of  Jonah  is  the  record  of  a  special  mission  to 
Ninevah,  but  is  mainly  designed  for  the  benefit  of  the  cov- 
enant people.  The  distribution  of  the  prophets  between 
the  two  kingdoms  into  different  fields  of  labor,  has  some 
points  of  analogy  with  the  divisions  of  apostolic  labors  to 
the  circumcision  and  uncircumcision.  The  gospel  of  the 
uncircumcision  was  committed  to  Paul,  yet  he  wrote  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  Peter  admitted  the  first  Gentile 
convert  into  the  church,  although  his  mission  was  to  the 
circumcision.  So  there  was  a  division  of  labor  in  the  O. 
T.  times.  But  we  must  remember  that  the  existence  of 
distinct  kingdoms  was  in  itself  schismatic  and  sinful.  It  was 
never  recognized  as  lawful.  The  tribes  of  Israel  were  one, 
and  formed  the  one  chosen  people  of  God.  A  writing 
came  from  Elijah  the  prophet  of  the  ten  tribes,  to  King 
Jehoram  of  Judah,  2  Chron.  21 :  12.  Nahum  was  taken 
from  Israel  to  labor  in  Judah.  Amos  from  Judah  to  Israel. 
The  prophets  extended  their  reformatory  work  over  both 
kingdoms.  Thus  it  was  in  the  period  we  are  now  discuss- 
ing. Hosea  and  Amos  occasionally  addressed  themselves 
to  Judah.  Isaiah  and  Micah  sometimes  have  regard  to 
Israel,  although  they  were  prophets  of  Judah. 

5.  Division  by  Periods. — The  prophets  may  again  be  di- 
vided with  reference  to  the  periods  to  which  they  belonged, 


29 

the  Assyrian  and  Chaldean.  The  design  of  the  prophets  is 
to  teach  the  lessons  of  the  schism,  etc.,  and  to  record  the 
judgment  (Assyrio-Babylonish  judgment)  of  God  for  the 
good  of  the  church.  The  work  of  judgment  exhibited  the 
forbearance  of  God,  and  gave  the  people  time  for  repent- 
ance. Idolatry  required  a  violent  corrective.  In  the  fulfill- 
ment of  ancient  threateniugs  of  the  law  of  Moses,  this 
great  empire  of  Asia  was  raised  up  for  punishment.  In 
the  successive  stages  we  see  God's  mercy  in  giving  oppor- 
tunity for  repentance.  The  empire  of  Assyria  was  raised 
up,  and  succeeded  in  overthrowing  the  ten  tribes,  the 
stronger  but  more  sinful  of  the  two.  This  empire  was  not 
permitted  to  overthrow  Judah,  the  weaker.  The  warning 
thus  given  to  Judah  was  ineffectual.  Having  disregarded 
it,  Babylon  was  erected,  and  they  were  given  into  its  power. 
Judah  was  carried  into  captivity,  and  held  therein  until  the 
time  of  Cyrus,  when  it  was  restored.  The  lessons  of  proph- 
ecy corresponded  to  the  necessities  of  the  people  at  the 
time,  and  reflect  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people  at  that 
particular  time.  Prophets  were  raised  up  at  each  succes- 
sive stage  of  this  severe  but  salutary  lesson.  The  wants  of 
the  time  are  determined:  1.  By  the  condition  of  the  peo- 
ple. 2.  By  God's  purposes  respecting  them.  These  differ- 
ent epochs  define  the  various  prophetic  periods.  Of  these 
periods,  the  first  is  : 

a.  The  Assyrian  period,  embracing  the  prophets  prior 
to,  and  contemporary  with,  the  Assyrian  invasion,  which 
overthrew  Israel  and  threatened  Judah.  To  this  period  be- 
long eight  prophets,  one  half  of  the  whole  number.  Three 
belong  to  Israel,  Hosea,  Amos,  Jonah.  Five  to  Judah, 
Joel,  Obadiah,  Isaiah,  Micah,  Nahum. 

b.  The  Chaldean  period,  embracing  the  prophets  prior 
to,  or  contained  within,  the  period  of  the  Babylonish  inva- 
sion under  Nebuchadnezzar,  by  which  Judah  was  led  cap- 
tive. To  this  period  belong  three,  Jeremiah,  Habakkuk, 
Zephaniah. 

c.  The  Period  of  Exile,  during  which  Judah  was  in  the 
land  of  the  oppressors.  To  this  period  belong  Daniel  and 
Ezekiel. 

d.  The  Period  of  Restoration,  from  Cyrus  to  the  N.  T. 
To  this  period  belong  Haggai,  Zechariah,  Malachi. 


30 

(1.)  I.  Typical  Messianic.  (2.)  II.  Properly  Messianic. 


A.  Implicit.  B.  Explicit 

a.  Jonah,  i.  I 


b.  Nahum,  ii.  J.  (A.)  Periods.  (B.)  Person. 

^__ « - ,      Isaiah,  l. 

(«.)  Neqative.  (b.)  Posdive.  Mieah. 

a.  Obadiah,  i.         a.  Hosea,  i.     \   y     Jeremiah,  ii. 
6.   Habakkuk,  ii.    d.  Amos,  ii.    j      -    Daniel,  in 

Zechanah,  iv. 
/.  Joel,  i.  "I      Malaehi. 

e.  Zephaniah,  ii.   I    j 
6.  Ezekiel,  iii. 
c.  Haggai,  iv. 


6.  Division  into  Messianic  and  Non- Messianic  — The  proph- 
ets may  still  further  be  divided  with  reference  to  their  atti- 
tude concerning  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  the  function  they 
were  to  perform  in  preparation  for  his  coming,  a.  Ihe 
Non-Messianic,  which  were  only  typically  or  inairectly 
Messianic,  b.  The  Messianic,  or  directly  and  properly  Mes- 
sianic. ,  ,.  ,  ,.  ... 

(1  )  The  Non-Messianic  prophets  did  not   direct  their 
thoUhts  to  the  remote  future,  but  confined  themselves  to 
the  immediate  wants  of  the  people.     They  comprise  nearly 
all  who  precede  the  period  of  written  prophecy,  i.  e.,  trom 
Samuel  to  Hosea.     They  are  restricted  almost  exclusively 
to  the  needs  of  the  people  and  the  time  in  which  they  lived. 
They  reclaimed  the  people  from  apostasy,  made  disclosures, 
and  urged  the  people  to  adhere  to  God,  but,  as  a  rule,  say 
nothing  of  the  coming  Messiah.     During  this  period  we 
find  only  the  most  scanty  predictions  of  Christ,  2  Sam.  7  : 
1^-16      There  were  only  enough  of  this  kind  to  keep  alive 
the  Messianic  hope  of  the  people,  and  to  preserve  their 
faith  from   extermination.     The  teaching  was  mostly   by 
types,  sufficient  for  the  times.     It  is  not  until  the  lessons  ot 
the  types  are  adequate  y  set  forth,  that  the  Messianic  proph- 
ecy becomes  prominent.     Yet  every  promise,  even  ot  tem- 
poral good,  under  the  old  covenant,  foreshadowed  to  them 
better  things  for  the  future,  a  greater  spiritual  good.     Ihe 
predictions" of  this  period  still  have  a  mediate  reference  to 
the  Messiah.     Acts  3  :  24,  «  Yea,  and  all  the  prophets  from 
Samuel  and  those  that  follow  after,  as  many  as  have  spoken, 
have  likewise  foretold  of  these  days,"  is  therefore  true  in 

typical  import. 

(2  )  The  Messianic  prophets  embrace  all  from  Hosea  on- 
ward who  were  writers  of  prophecy.  Those  of  Canaan  not 
only  wrote  concerning  the  present  wants  of  the  people,  but 
also  for  the  needs  of  God's  people  for  all  time  to  come. 
In  these,  the  doctrine  of  the  Messiah  becomes  very  promi- 
nent  and  yet  in  treating  this  theme  there  is  no  dull,  lite- 


31 

less  uniformity  on  the  part  of  the  prophets.  In  treating 
of  the  Messiah,  the  substance,  character,  and  amount  of 
their  teaching  are  all  different.  They  do  not  develop  on 
all  sides  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  but  they  make  their  ap- 
proaches tu  this  theme  from  different  standpoints,  exhibit 
different  aspects  of  it,  and  with  different  degress  of  full- 
ness. But  this  divergence  shows  no  discrepancy.  It  is 
possible  to  gather  the  whole  up  into  a  higher  unity.  They 
are  not  only  harmonious,  but  they  are  mutually  self-sup- 
porting, and  are  supplementary  to  each  other.  Whether 
such  a  combination  was  possible  before  Christ  appeared,  or 
was  fully  understood,  is  difficult  to  say.  However,  it  is 
plain  that  all  these  divine  representations  do  find  their 
counterpart  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  Christ  all  the 
enigmas  of  prophecy  are  solved,  and  we  see  the  consistency 
of  what  the  prophets  wrote  concerning  him. 

7.  Division  according  to  Implicit  or  Explicit  Disclosure  con- 
cerning Christ. — Thege  sixteen  prophetical  books  may  be 
further  classified  in  respect  to  their  manner  of  disclosure 
concerning  Christ.  This  manner  may  be  divided  and  the 
prophetB  viewed  as  Implicitly  Messianic,  and  Explicitly 
Messianic,  a.  Implicitly  Messianic  furnished  a  link  be- 
tween the  prophets  of  this  and  the  former  period.  They 
do  not  in  express  terms  speak  of  that  which  is  strictly  Mes- 
sianic, yet  their  predictions  obviously  stand  in  closer  con- 
nection with  the  Messianic  prophets  than  the  unwritten 
types  do.  b.  The  Explicitly  Messianic  make  Christ  the 
direct  theme  of  prophecy. 

A.  Of  the  Implicitly  Messianic  or  transition  prophets, 
there  are  only  two,  Jonah  and  Nahum.  They  were  not  con- 
temporaries, yet  they  belonged  to  the  Assyrian  period, 
Jonah  in  Israel,  and  Nahum  in  Judah.  The  theme  of  both 
was  the  purpose  of  God  with  respect  to  Nineveh,  the 
capital  of  Assyria,  the  prominent  foe  of  God's  people. 
These  two  prophets  make  entirely  diverse  revelations  con- 
cerning the  fate  of  Nineveh,  the  common  foe  of  both 
nations.  They  appear  at  different  times,  and  present  Mes- 
sianic lessons,  from  different  sides. 

a.  Jonah,  the  sphere  of  whose  work  lay  mainly  in  the 
ten  tribes,  in  the  time  of  prosperity  under  Jeroboam,  was 
sent  to  prophesy  in  Nineveh,  the  capital  city  of  Assyria, 
Jonah  4  :  11.  This  city  was  selected  rather  than  some 
other,  because  it  was  then  the  great  hostile  power  which 
threatened   Israel.     Jonah's  prophecy  had   a  good   effect. 


32 

By  hearkening-  to  his  message  the  city  was  spared.  The 
contrast  is,  that  Israel  is  obstinate,  and  hastening  on  to  de- 
struction, while  Nineveh,  the  heathen  enemy,  is  saved. 
Jonah  had  preached  a  long  time  to  Israel,  and  they  did  not 
repent.  He  went  and  preached  in  Nineveh,  and  it  repented 
at  once,  and  was  saved.  The  great  typical  lesson  is  that 
the  gospel  shall  one  day  be  preached  to  the  Gentiles,  aud 
they  should  hear  it,  while  God's  ancient  covenant  people 
should  be  cast  off.  The  great  foe  of  Israel  was  spared  to 
be  its  overthrow.  But  the  time  had  not  yet  come  for  an 
actual  change.  God's  purposes  were  not  yet  ripe.  There- 
fore Assyria  was  not  then  substituted  for  Israel.  Assyria 
still  continued  heathen,  and  Israel  the  favored  people  of 
God.  The  Gentiles  should  not  only  hear  the  gospel,  but 
obey  it,  while  Israel  should  be  cast  off,  and  deprived  of  the 
religion  of  their  fathers.  It  was  typical  of  what  should 
transpire  when  Christ  came. 

b.  The  message  of  Nahum  was  for  Judah,  which  was 
not  to  be  overthrown  by  Assyria  as  Israel  was.  Nahum, 
therefore,  predicts  the  preservation  of  the  people  of  God. 
It  is  not  a  development  of  a  Messianic  prophecy,  but  this 
may  be  inferred.  This  disastrous  overthrow  of  Assyria 
stands  as  a  type  of  the  overthrow  of  all  God's  enemies,  the 
safety  of  God's  people,  and  the  judgments  against  an 
ungodly  world.  These  are  totally  different,  and  yet  the 
same.  If  we  put  them  into  contrast,  according  to  Jonah, 
Israel  is  cut  off;  while  according  to  Nahum  Israel  is  saved, 
and  the  heathen  cut  off. 

B.  The  rest  of  the  prophetic  books  are  Explicitly  Mes- 
sianic,— they  teach  of  Christ  in  express  terms.  Here,  again, 
we  find  a  great  variety  of  aspects,  far  greater  than  before. 
As  to  the  character  of  the  Messianic  period,  we  may  view 
it  as  comprising  two  classes,  (a.)  Those  which  treat  of  the 
Messianic  period  itself,  (b.)  Those  which,  in  addition  to 
that,  speak  of  the  Messiah's  person.  The  one  exhibits  a 
negative  view  of  the  Messianic  period  in  the  light  of  de-. 
liverance  from  present  and  future  evils;  the  other  develops 
the  positive  character.  The  former  declare  what  the  Mes- 
sianic period  is  not.  A  future  which  stood  in  no  sort  of 
relation  to  the  present,  could  not  be  understood  by  the  peo- 
ple, but  if  so  related  that  the  lesson  may  become  compara- 
tively easy,  then  wTe  mast  make  the  present  the  point  of  de- 
parture. It  is  thus  we  obtain  our  knowkdge  of  spiritual 
things — by  our  own   consciousness,  negative  and  positive. 


33 

Thus  we  get  an  idea  of  God  from  a  knowledge  of  our- 
selves :  first,  by  denying  to  Him  all  the  imperfections 
which  we  find  in  ourselves;  second,  by  ascribing  to  Him 
all  the  perfections  of  what  is  good.  So  the  prophets  do. 
Some  deny  to  that  glorious  period  the  evils  of  the  present. 
Others  positively  prophesy  blessings  and  benefits  on  that 
time. 

(a.)  In  the  negative,  Obadiah  belongs  to  the  Assyrian 
period ;  Habakkuk  to  the  Chaldean.  Both  belonged  to 
Judah.  Both  direct  their  prophecy  to  different  yet  related 
themes. 

a.  Obadiah  belonged  to  the  earlier  portion  of  prophecy, 
and  selected  Edom,a  small  neighboring  state,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  enemies  of  God.  The  burden  of  0.  is  the 
downfall  of  Edom.  He  reaches  into  Messianic  times,  and 
predicts  that  every  enemy  of  God  shall  find  its  downfall. 
The  book  ends  with  the  declaration,  "  The  Kingdom  shall 
be  the  Lord's."  This  otters  another  opportunity  for  incul- 
cating the  same  lesson  in  a  more  impressive  form,  which 
occurred  in  the  Chaldean  period,  i.  e.,  the  universality  of 
His  kingdom. 

b.  Habakkuk  in  the  Chaldean  period.  A  far  more 
formidable  foe  than  Edom  had  arisen.  The  great  empire 
of  Babylon  was  terrible.  It  gave  a  conception  of  the  pos- 
sible combination  which  might  be  arrayed  against  the  peo- 
ple of  God.  It  presents  a  spectacle  of  universal  empire, 
ruling  almost  the  whole  world.  It  was  given  to  Habakkuk 
to  predict  the  overthrow  of  this  huge  empire,  aad  deduce 
from  it  the  same  lesson  Obadiah  had  done,  the  universality 
of  God's  kingdom  as  opposed  to  all  others.  Hab.  2  :  14, 
"  For  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.."  This  truth 
could  insure  the  downfall  of  Babylon,  though  now  at  the 
height  of  its  power. 

•  (6.)  The  remaining  six  prophet?  are  positively  Messianic, 
not  only  as  speaking  of  this  period  as  one  of  deliverance, 
but  in  a  positive  sense.  They  are  Joel,  Zephaniah,  Ezekiel, 
Haggai,  of  Judah  ;  Hosea  and  Amos,  of  Israel.  They  de- 
lineate in  positive  aspect  the  actual  benefits  of  the  Mes- 
sianic period,  yet  here  also  is  there  variety  in  the  mode  of 
preservation. 

a.  Hosea  takes  no  note  of  anything  bnt  the  fortunes  of 
God's  covenant  people,  and  of  the  Gentile  nations  merely 
as  executioners  of  what  comes  upon  God's  people,  without 


34 

any  reference  to  what  shall  become  of  them  themselves.  He 
was  sent  to  prophesy  to  the  ten  tribes  shortly  before  they 
were  to  be  overthrown  by  Assyria.  He  was  to  assure  the 
despondent  pious  of  the  glorious  future  awaiting  God's 
people.  The  Messianic  teaching  in  Hosea  has  four  points : 
1.  The  favor  of  God  shall  be  restored  forever.  2.  The 
unity  of  the  people  of  God  under  one  head.  No  such  dis- 
astrous schism  as  at  present  exists  shall  divide  the  nation. 
3.  Immense  multiplicity  of  the  people  of  God.  4.  Their 
return.  They  shall  be  regathered  out  of  the  dispersion,  so 
threatening,  and  be  brought  back  to  the  Lord's  land. 

b.  Ezekiel,  sent  to  Judah  when  in  exile,  develops  still 
more  fully  and  minutely  the  blessings  which  the  people 
would  enjov.  He  adopts  the  symbols  of  the  old  economy, 
and  pushes  them  to  greater  lengths  than  Hosea  did. 
Ezekiel  describes  in  addition  to  the  return,  and  in  minute 
detail,  the  fresh  partition  of  lands  among  the  people,  the 
rebuilding  and  measurements  of  the  temple,  and  restora- 
tion of  the  Levitical  ceremonials.  This  is  only  in  a  sym- 
bolic and  emblematic  sense.  The  theocracy,  which  seemed 
to  be  in  ruins,  was  to  be  restored  after  the  same  general 
pattern  as  before,  but  on  a  much  larger  scale.  He  refers 
also  to  the  destiny  awaiting  their  heathen  foes,  now  exult- 
in<y  over  Israel's  downfall  and  Judah's  captivity.  He  de- 
clares they  shall  fall  before  the  people  of  God.  There  is 
no  mention  that  the  Gentiles  shall  be  partakers  of  the 
blessings  of  God's  people. 

c.  Haggai  comes  after  the  exile  and  stands  on  substan- 
tially the  same  platform  as  Ezekiel,  although  he  seems  to 
be  partially  paving  the  way  for  the  extension  of  the  good 
news  of  the  kingdom  to  the  Gentiles.  The  government  of 
Judah  shall  be  protected.  Whatever  may  perish,  God's 
people  shall  be  saved.  The  result  is  stated  in  Haggai  2: 
7,  "  And  I  will  shake  all  nations,  and  the  desire  of  all 
nations  shall  come :  and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  The  "  desire  of  all  nations  "  is 
not  a  personal  designation  of  the  Messiah,  as  satisfying  the 
lono-ings  of  mankind.  It  does  not  mean  Messiah,  as  many 
have  explained  it.  This  view  is  true  from  various  conside- 
rations, being  supported  from  the  prophet's  own  under- 
standing of  the  passage.  According  to  grammatical  princi- 
ples the  "desire"  of  all  nations  is  a  collective,  feminine 
singular.  The  temple  seemed  poor  in  comparison  with 
Solomon's,  which  preceded  it,  but  all  the  treasures  of  the 


35 

nations  shall  be  brought  to  adorn  and  beautify  the  Lord's 
house.  Haggai  does  not  say  persons  of  the  Gentiles  should 
be  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  their  noblest  pos- 
sessions. He  does  not  say  whether  they  are  to  be  volun- 
tarily brought,  or  wrested  from  their  unwilling  hands. 
This  is  not  explicitly  declared,  yet  all  suspense  and  doubt 
are  removed  by  the  three  remaining  ones,  who  each  unam- 
biguously affirm  that  the  Gentiles  shall  share  in  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  This  is  set  forth  by  each 
in  different  aspects. 

d.  Amos  speaks  of  the  incorporation  of  the  Gentiles 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  the  result  of  their  spiritual 
subjugation  by  Israel,  9  :  12,  "  That  they  may  possess  the 
remnant  of  Edom,  and  of  all  the  heathen,  which  are  called 
by  my  name,  saith  the  Lord  that  doeth  this."  That  the 
Gentiles,  like  Israel,  were  to  be  called  by  the  "Lord's 
name,"  implies  that  they  are  to  come  into  the  same  relation 
with  God  as  His  people.  This  is  the  result  of  conquest  by 
Israel.  Active  propagation  of  the  gospel  proceeding  from 
the  heart  of  the  Christian  church.  So  David  must  be  built 
up  as  of  old.  There  must  be  a  Spiritual  people.  ,  The 
Christian  church  was  to  be  built  up  and  owe  its  existence 
to  the  Jewish  church.  This  was  in  part  the  case.  The 
founders  of  the  Christian  church  were  Jews. 

e.  Zephaniah,  on  the  other  hand,  declares  the  Gentiles, 
like  Israel,  are  to  be  purified  by  divine  judgments,  Zeph. 
2:  11;  3:  8,9.  According  to  Zephaniah,  God's  providen- 
tial judgments  are  to  be  the  agents  in  bringing  about  the 
blessing. 

/.  Joel  2  :  28,  makes  no  mention  of  any  active  extension 
or  propagation  of  God's  kingdom  by  those  included  in  it, 
nor  of  the  effect  of  God's  providences  in  breaking  down 
obstacles,  but  he  refers  it  solely  to  the  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  this  being  the  only  agency  employed  in  the 
work.  This  is  in  accordance  with  His  great  promise,  "  I 
will  pour  out  my  spirit  upon  all  flesh." 

(B.)  Person  of  the  Messiah. — The  last  class  of  Messi- 
anic prophets  are  those  who  make  revelations,  not  only 
concerning  the  character  of  the  Messianic  period,  but  also 
concerning  the  person  of  the  Messiah.  This  class  embraces 
the  six  remaining  prophets,  all  of  whom  belong  to  Judah. 
The  Personal  prophets  are  Isaiah,  Micah,  Jeremiah,  Daniel, 
Zechariah,  and  Malachi.  There  is  a  double  reason  for  con- 
fining these  explicit  disclosures  concerning  Messiah's  per- 


36 

son  to  Judah.  First,  because  the  kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes 
was  not  to  survive,  as  the  kingdom  of  Judah  should,  till  the 
advent  of  the  Messiah.  It  was  destroyed  by  Assyria, 
and  never  be  revived  again.  It  was  to  be  superfluous, 
therefore,  to  supply  them  with  marks  of  the  coming  Mes- 
siah. Second,  the  great  body  of  the  truly  pious,  and  that 
in  which  the  proper  succession  of  the  covenant  people  lay, 
was  in  Judah.  They  greatly  outnumber  the  prophecies  of 
Israel,  and  the  disclosures  made  to  Judah  far  surpass  those 
made  to  Israel.  So,  also,  Messianic  disclosures  were 
limited.  These  six  prophets,  who  make  distinct  mention 
of  the  person  of  the  Messiah,  are  distributed  through  all 
four  of  the  prophetic  periods.  There  are  two  in  the  As- 
syrian period;  two  in  the  period  of  Restoration  ;  and  one 
each  in  the  Chaldean  and  Exile  periods.  Isaiah  and  Micah 
belong  to  the  Assyrian;  Jeremiah,  Chaldean;  Daniel, 
Exile  ;  Zechariah  and  Malachi,  Restoration. 

a.  Jeremiah  makes  the  most  scanty  revelation  of  the 
person  of  the  Messiah.  His  period  was  the  downfall  of 
Judah.  He  predicts  the  Messiah  as  the  righteous  king,  in 
contrast  with  the  degenerate  monarch  of  his  own  day.  He 
is  to  restore,  not  only  his  people,  but  all  things  to  his  will. 
b.  Micah  adds  the  Messiah  shall  be  not  only  a  virtuous 
king  of  David's  ancient  race, but  a  divine  monarch,  and  an 
effectual  defense  and  protection  against  all  foes,  however 
powerful. 

c.  Daniel  contrasts  Christ's  kingdom  with  the  utmost 
potency  with  the  greatest  kingdoms  of  the  world.  He  thus 
carries  the  teachings  of  the  Messiah  to  the  greatest  extent. 
In  symbol,  he  represents  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  as 
brutal,  figured  by  beasts  of  uncommon  kinds;  on  the  other 
hand,  he  represents  the  Messiah  as  the  Son  of  Man,  7  :  13. 

d.  Isaiah  adds  to  what  has  thus  far  been  set  forth,  his 
prophetic  office  as  teacher  of  the  nations,  and  the  fact  of  his 
vicarious  sacrifice  for  sin  is  set  forth  most  clearly  by  this 
prince  of  the  prophets. 

e.  Zechariah  combines  with  his  kingly  office  that  of  his 
priestly  office,  making  him  a  priest  upon  his  throne,  as  well 
as  the  Good  Shepherd  disowned  by  his  flock,  thus  repre- 
senting the  sufferings  he  should  endure  as  a  priest. 

/.  Malachi  predicts  the  Messiah  as  a  judge,  refining  and 
purifying  by  the  fires  of  his  justice,  separating  the  right- 
eous from  the  wicked. 


37 

All  of  these  prophets  except  Jeremiah  present  special 
marks  of  identification,  marks  by  which  he  may  be  known 
when  he  comes.  Isaiah  foretells  his  birth  from  a  virgin 
mother,  and  his  ministry  in  Galilee.  Micah  foretells  his 
birth  in  Bethlehem.  Daniel  mentions  the  time  of  his  ap- 
pearing. It  should  be  at  the  expiration  of  the  seventy 
weeks.  Zechariah  speaks  of  his  riding  into  Jerusalem  upon 
an  ass.  Malachi,  his  being  preceded  by  a  forerunner,  or 
one  who  should  "  come  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias," 
as  we  read  it  elsewhere. 

[Various  passages  quoted  or  used  in  support  of  our 
present  "Division  of  Prophets."'  From  the  Minor  proph- 
ets:  Hosea  1':  10,11;  3:5.  Joel  2  :  28-32.  Amos  9  : 
11-15.  Obadiah  1:  31.  Micah  4 :  1-3;  5:2.  Hab.  2: 
14.  Zeph.  2  :  11 ;  3  :  8,9.  Hag.  2  :  6,  7.  Zech.  6  :  12, 13  ; 
9:9;  13:  17.  Mai.  3:1-3;  4:  5.  From  the  Major 
prophets:  Is.  7  :  14-16  ;  9  :  1-7;  53:1-12.  Jer.  33  : 
15-17.  Ezek.  chs.  38,  39,  40-48.  Dan.  2:  44-45;  9: 
24-27.] 


ASSYRIAN    PERIOD. 
I.— PROPHETS  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  ISRAEL. 

They  should  not  be  taken  at  random  for  there  is  order 
here.  They  must  not  be  massed  together,  nor  isolated,  so 
that  the  connection  may  be  lost.  They  were  part  of  the 
divine  scheme,  a  system  of  training  to  which  the  Israelites 
were  subjected,  and  were  conceived  in  order,  The  minis- 
try of  each  particular  prophet  fills  its  appropriate  place  in 
the  era  to  which  he  belongs.  The  complete  study  of  the 
prophets  embraces  : 

1.  Each  book  in  its  own  individual  character,  and  abso- 
lute amount  of  prophecy  which  it  contains. 

2.  In  its  relation  to  its  own  group  or  period.  The 
functions  which  belong  to  it  individually. 

3.  Relation  of  the  mission  of  each  period  to  the  grand 
system  of  prophetic  teaching  which  embraces  all  the  proph- 
ets. 

4.  Relation  of  the  work  of  preparation  considered  as  a 
whole  to  the  entire  scheme  of  training  to  which  Israel  was 
subjected  under  the  whole  O.  T.,  for  this  preparation   by 


38 

the  medium  of  the  prophets  is  only  a  part  in  a  greater  whole. 
a.  Legal  preparation  by  Moses,  b.  Providential  prepara- 
tion by  the  history  of  the  people  in  the  historical  books — 
negative  and  positive,  c.  Individual  preparation  :  the  sub- 
jective preparation  in  the  poetical  books,  the  religious  ex- 
periences of  inspired  and  sanctified  men,  their  inward  and 
outward  trials  which  have  their  bearing  upon  the  Son  of 
Man. 

We  begin  with  the  consideration  of  the  prophets  of 
Israel,  because  : 

(1.)  This  is  probably  the  chronological  order.  Although 
the  prophets  of  Israel  are  in  general  synchronous  with  the 
first  periods  of  Judah,  yet  Hosea,  the  first  prophet  of 
Israel,  began  before  Joel. 

(2.)  It  enables  us  to  complete  the  prophets  of  one  king- 
dom before  beginning  the  others. 

(3.)  The  future  disclosures  made  to  Israel,  as  well  as  the 
revelations  concerning  the  Messiah,  are  less  full  and  clear 
than  those  granted  to  the  prophets  of  Judah,  and  thus 
there  is  progress.  In  order  to  understand  the  whole  char- 
acter of  their  ministries  we  must  look  at  the  providential 
circumstances  which  determined  their  character. 

I.  Intrinsic  character  of  the  kingdom  and  the  domestic 
and  foreign  relations  of  Israel. 

a.  It  was  inherently  sinful  in  character,  being  founded 
on  schism  and  apostasy,  leaving  the  true  worship  of  God 
in  Jerusalem  for  the  worship  of  false  gods  in  Bethel  and 
Dan.  The  very  existence  of  this  kingdom  was  a  crime 
against  God.  The  perpetuity  of  the  kingdom  involves 
this  twofold  guilt. 

b.  There  was  universal  corruption.  (1)  The  kings  uni- 
versally were  wicked,  in  Judah  some  were  good.  (2)  The 
abandonment,  by  the  people,  of  the  true  worship  of  God, 
followed  by  awful  sins  and  violence,  which  are  rebuked  by 
the  prophets,  in  both  princes  and  people.  One  of  the 
fruits  of  this  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  there  was  no 
regular  hereditary  succession  to  the  throne,  but  many  usur- 
pations and  regicides  and  interregnums.  Four  out  of  seven 
kings  during  the  ministry  of  this  period  were  murdered, 
and  only  two  transmitted  the  crown  to  their  descendants, 
and  this  for  one  generation.  There  were  repeated  civil 
wars,  and  two  periods  of  anarchy,  during  which  no  monarch 
sat  upon  the  throne  for  several  years.  This  seems  to  be  a 
necessary  inference  from  the  history,  though  not  expressly 


39 

stated.  The  ten  tribes  having-  thus  cut  themselves  off  from 
the  people  of  God  and  his  divinely  appointed  worship,  and 
having  become  more  opposite  to  the  character  of  God's 
chosen  pe*ople,  the  question  arises,  How  will  God  treat  them 
and  deal  with  them  ?  The  book  of  Chronicles  omit  the 
history  of  the  ten  tribes  altogether,  as  not  belonging  to  the 
theocratic  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God  at  all,  and  con- 
fines itself  to  Judah. 

II.  Purpose  of  God  respecting  it. 

a.  His  forbearance  hitherto  is  phown  by  preserving  it 
for  nearly  two  hundred  years  in  a  moderate  state  of  peace 
and  prosperity.  The  schism  began  with  the  revolt  of  Jero- 
boam I.,  B.  C.  975 ;  death  of  Jeroboam  II.,  B.  C.  784 ; 
shortly  before  which  the  latter  period  begins  with  the 
period  of  the  prophecy  of  Hosea. 

b.  God's  favor  is  shown  by  interrupting  the  course  of 
degradation  from  Jeroboam  to  Ahab,  by:  (1)  Ministries  of 
Elijah  and  Elisha.  (2)  After  Ahab,  by  placing  on  the 
throne  the  princes  of  Jehu.  Jehu  was  made  king,  884 
B.  C.  The  first  century  of  the  schism,  or,  more  exactly, 
the  first  90  years  from  the  original  revolt  of  Jeroboam  to 
the  tall  of  the  house  of  Ahab,  was  one  of  growing  corrup- 
tion, until  Ahab  and  his  heathen  wife  renounced  the  wor- 
ship of  God  entirely  for  the  heathen  gods.  This  process 
of  degradation  was  broken  off  by  placing  Jehu  on  the 
throne.  The  preparation  for  this  was  made  by  the  period 
of  Elijah  and  Elisha,  whose  ministry  extended  to  Joash, 
the  grandson  of  Jehu,  and  under  Jehu  there  was  a  zealous 
reform,  for  which  he  was  commended  by  God.  Although 
the  golden  calves  were  still  retained,  Jehu  was  of  marked 
ability,  and  the  princes  remained  lor  four  reigns,  upward 
of  a  century,  as  God  had  promised  to  Jehu,  2  Kings  10  : 
30.  Under  the  reign  of  these  princes  there  was  prosperity 
to  Israel,  and  deliverance  from  their  foreign  oppressors, 
and  victory  over  them.  Under  Jeroboam  II.  there  was  an 
extension  ot  the  kingdom  to  the  limits  reached  by  Solomon, 
2  Kings  14  :  25. 

c.  The  raising  up  of  prophets  to  labor  among  them  for 
their  admonition  and  salvation,  and  to  show  that  they  were 
not  yet  to  be  cast  off,  combined  ministries  of  Hosea,  Amos, 
Jonah,  besides  others,  as  Oded,  2  Chrou.  28  :  9,  and  many 
more.  All  these  measures  failed  to  effect  any  thorough  re- 
form of  the  people  of  God  at  large,  and  the  period  of  for- 
bearance was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  was  to  be  followed 


40 

by  one  of  judgment.  The  term  of  the  house  of  Jehu  was 
nearly  at  an  end ;  his  third  descendant,  Jeroboam  II.,  had 
nearly  reached  the  end  of  his  reign,  His  successor,  Zacha- 
riah,  was  to  reign  only  six  months.  The  great  Assyrian 
power  (B.  C.  721)  was  to  overthrow  Israel,  capture  Samaria, 
and  take  the  people  into  captivity. 

The  character  ot  the  people  and  the  designs  of  God 
respecting  them  are  the  main  elements  that  determine  their 
necessities  and  show  the  nature  of  the  ministry.  This 
ministry  was  not  to  be  exercised  by  a  single  individual. 
Even  as  our  Lord  sent  out  his  disciples  two  by  two,  both  for 
mutual  aid  and  countenance,  as  well  as  that  in  the  mouths 
of  two  or  three  witnesses  his  word  should  be  established, 
so  here  the  prophets  were  to  supplement  each  other,  to 
seize  the  truth  on  different  sides,  to  teach  distinct  though 
related  lessons.  In  regard  to  Hosea,  Amos,  and  Jonah, 
there  was  not  the  full  amount  of  instruction  in  any  one  of 
them,  but  in  the  combination  of  the  lessons  which  they 
severally  teach  and  in  regarding  them  altogether  as  one 
united  ministry.  Yet  we  must  not  lose  sight  of  their  indi- 
vidual peculiarities.  We  must  show  their  close  connection, 
and  how  each  had  his  own  distinctive  mission  to  fulfill,  but 
all  harmonize  and  co-operate  in  the  accomplishment  of  the 
common  end.  It  is  apparent  that  a  people  so  given  to  sin, 
and  in  the.prospect  of  jugment,  needed  : 

1.  A  ministry  of  rebuke  and  denunciation.  This  is  a 
characteristic  of  these  three  prophets,  and  is  in  marked  con- 
trast with  the  three  prophets  of  Judah.  This  denunciation 
and  rebuke  is  administered  by  Hosea  directly,  Jonah  in- 
directly, Amos  in  both  ways.  Hosea  and  Amos  performed 
their  direct  work  by  threatening  in  so  many  terms  the  com- 
plete destruction  of  the  kingdom,  and  foretelling  the  cap- 
tivity and  rejection  of  the  mass  of  the  people,  and  this  oc- 
cupies the  bulk  of  these  books,  only  a  few  verses  contain- 
ing a  promise  of  mercy.  Amos  threatens  the  overthrow 
of  many  nations  around  Israel  who  are  less  guilty  than 
Israel,  while  as  to  the  great  power,  Assyria,  which  was 
around  Israel,  he  says  not  a  word,  leaving  it  to  be  inferred 
that  it  is  to  finish  the  mission  of  destroying  Israel.  Jonah 
also  shows  indirect  proof  of  the  same  fact.  The  JSTinevites 
are  less  obdurate  than  Israel,  and  the  actual  destruction  of 
Nineveh  is  postponed.  Yet  the  promises  of  God  are  not 
to  be  frustrated,  mercy  was  in  store  for  them  and  for  the 
world,  for  which  the  judgment  was  to  be  a  means  to  an 


41 

end.  No  promises  whatever  of  the  proximate  future  are 
given  to  Israel,  nothing  to  break  the  full  fores  of  the  im- 
pending  jungment,  so  that  this  judgment  might  be  averted. 
For  the  present  all  is  dark,  but  there  is  a  brighter  prospect 
beyond,  after  the  work  of  judgment  shall  be  accomplished. 
2.  With  an  entire  absence  of  all  promises  for  the  pres- 
ent, they  nevertheless  point  forward  to  Messianic  blessings. 
Nothing  is  said  about  the  person  of  the  Messiah,  but  only 
about  the  Messianic  period,  which  is  different  from  the  con- 
temporaneous prophets  of  Judah,  e.  g.,  Is-aiah  and  Micah. 
There  the  person  of  Messiah  is  treated  *cf  (a)  in  a  more 
obscure  form,  sufficient  for  present  purpose  to  comfort  them; 
(b)  not  the  same  necessity  to  give  marks  to  a  kingdom 
which  was  to  end  long  before  the  advent  of  the  Messiah. 
For  similar  reasons,  the  Messianic  period  is  not  largely  and 
fully  dwelt,  upon  by  these  prophets  of  Israel.  They  make 
a  contrast  between  the  evils  of  the  present,  and  the  glories 
of  the  future. 

1.  The  attitudes  and  revelations  of  the  prophets  are 
different.  Hosea  and  Amos  are  explicit,  use  express  terms, 
Jonah  implicit,  by  actions  which  foreshadow  the  future. 

2.  There  is  a  difference  in  the  extent  of  the  revelations 
themselves  respecting  the  Messianic  period.  Hosea  tells 
only  of  the  blessings  to  Israel,  Jonah  of  the  calling  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  Amos  speaks  of  both.  He  unites  with  Hosea 
in  announcing  that  the  destruction  of  the  kingdom  is  a 
necessarj'  antecedent  to  the  fulfilment  of  their  hopes. 
That  they  shall  be  returned  to  God  by  these,  and  be  re- 
united to  Judah,  and  then  the  blessing  shall  come.  Amos, 
with  Jonah,  tells  of  the  future  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  but 
in  a  different  way,  and  different  aspect.  Amos  foretells 
the  spiritual  subjugation  of  the  heathen,  by  a  power  from 
Israel.  Jonah  treats  of  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  all 
nations,  and  embraced  by  them  voluntarily,  while  Israel 
remains  impentinent  and  unbelieving.  T;i9  calling  of  the 
Gentiles  is  implicitly  connected  by  Jonah  with  the  rejection 
ot  the  Jews.  From  the  1ST.  T.  we  see  that  both  were  ful- 
filled. 

3.  Personal  Relations. — Knowledge  on  this  matter  is 
scanty.  The  only  thing  mentioned  of  Hosea  is  the  name  of 
his  father.  The  residence  and  occupation  of  Amos  is  given. 
The  residence  and  father  of  Jonah. 

4.  Citizenship. — Hosea  and  Jonah  belong  to  the  king- 
dom of  Israel.     Amos  lived  in    Judah,  but  ministered  to 


42 

Israel.     It  is  not  stated  concerning  Hosea,  but  is  inferred 
from  knowldege  concerning  the  others. 

5.  Scene  of  their  Ministry.— Hosea  in  the  ten  tribes  :  no 
particular  place  mentioned.  Amos  in  Bethel,  7  :  13.  Jonah 
in  Nineveh. 

6.  Their  writings. — Hosea  a  resume  or  abstract  of  a  long 
ministry.  Jonah  and  Amos  record  a  single  brief  mission 
which  in  the  case  of  Amos  was  a  mission  from  Israel  to 
Judah.  It  may  have  been  the  whole  of  his  prophetic 
career,  but  in  the  case  of  Jonah  it  was  not,  2  Kings  14:  25. 

7.  Messianic  teaching. — The  prophets  of  Israel  do  not  ad- 
vance much  on  the  promises  made  to  David,  but  they  are 
reiterated  and  re-enforced,  expanded  in  the  case  of  Judah. 

8.  Theme.— Hosea  exclusively  treats  of  the  duty  aud 
destiny  of  the  covenant  people.  Amos  relates  both  to  the 
covenant  people  aud  Gentile  nations;  Jonah  exclusively  to 
a  particular  Gentile  nation. 

9.  Form  of  the  Prophecies.— Rosea  and  Jonah  symbolic 
actions  ;  Amos  symbolic  visions. 

10.  All  are  recognized  and  referred  to  in  the  N.  T. 
Hosea  in  Rom.  9  :  25  ;  1  Pet.  2  :  10.  Amos,  James  in  Acts 
15  :  16.     Jonah  by  our  Lord,  Matt.  12  :  39-41. 


HOSEA.    B.  C.    784-724. 
PERSON  AND  BOOK. 

Name,  salvation  ;  from  which  we  may  perhaps  infer 
that  he  was  from  pious  parents.  It  is  the  original  name  of 
Joshua,  Num.  13  :  8,  16.  Also,  the  name  of  the  last  king 
of  Israel,  2  Kings  15:  30.  He  was  the  son  of  Beeri,  the 
mention  of  whom  does  not  prove  him  to  have  been  a  person 
of  distinction,  nor  a  prophet,  according  to  the  Rabbins, 
who  say  that  whenever  the  name  of  the  father  of  the 
prophet  is  given,  the  father  also  was  a  prophet.  It  is  simply 
the  oriental  mode  of  supplying  the  lack  of  family  names. 

It  is  probable  that,  like  most  of  the  other  prophets,  he 
was  a  native  of  Israel,  (a.)  If  not  we  should  expect  it  to  be 
expressly  mentioned,  as  in  the  case  of  Amos,  (b.)  The 
places  mentioned  in  Hosea  belong  to  the  ten  tribes,  and 


43 

the  events  belong  to  the  history  of  the  ten  tribes,  (c.)  Es- 
pecially (7  :  5)  "  our  king,"  and  such  expressions  as  "  the 
land"  (1:  2)  "I  have  "seen  "(6:  10).  These  indicate  a 
knowledge  of  the  land. 

Some  have  urged  that  there  are  unusual  forms  in  the 
book  which  betray  the  northern  idiom,  but  not  enough  is 
known  of  the  Hebrew  dialects  to  warrant  such  a  statement. 

Some  have  objected  to  the  view  of  the  prophet's  belong- 
ing to  the  ten  tribes ;  that  the  title  of  the  book  indicates 
that  he  was  of  Judah,  because  he  names  the  kings  of  Judah, 
in  whose  reigns  he  prophesied.  The  kings  of  Judah  are 
mentioned  in  full,  while  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  only  Jero- 
boam is  mentioned.  The  explanation  of  this  is  not  that  he 
lived  in  Judah,  but  that  he  did  not  recognize  the  right  of 
the  schism  of  Israel,  and  that  the  king  of  the  house  of 
Judah  was  the  only  lawful  king.  This  is  shown  by  other 
passages,  8  :  4,  "  They  have  set  up  kings,  but  not  by  me  ;" 
and  in  8  :  5,  they  are  to  come  back  under  the  rule  of  Judah. 
To  these  kings  of  Judah,  he  adds  the  name  of  Jeroboam, 
king  of  Israel,  for  a  double  reason,  (a.)  To  indicate  more 
exactly  the  beginning  of  his  miuistry.  Uzziah's  reign 
lasted  until  26  years  after  the  death  of  Jeroboam,  but  it  was 
in  that  part  of  Uzziah's  reign  when  Jeroboam  was  still 
living,  that  he  began  his  ministry.  (6.)  Because  God  by 
His  providence  gave  a  certain  kind  of  sanction  to  Jeroboam 
as  one  of  the  princes  of  Jehu,  vide  2  Kings  14  :  25-29,  "  He 
saved  them  b}-  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Joash." 

Ewald  has  a  kind  of  intermediate  theory,  viz. :  that  the 
prophet  at  first  belonged  to  Israel,  but  on  account  of  oppo- 
sition, he  removed  to  Judah. 

Marriage. — As  to  the  account  of  the  prophet's  marriage, 
from  ancient  times  interpreters  have  been  divided.  Was 
his  faithless  wife  an  alleg*ory  or  a  fact  ?  In  either  case  it 
was  certainly  symbolical  of  the  Lord's  relation  to  His  err- 
ing people.  It  is  improbable  that  it  was  a  literal  occur- 
rence, for 

1.  God  would  not  have  commanded  a  holy  prophet  to 
form  such  a  connection.  Though  it  is  not  a  command  to 
form  a  sinful  connection,  as  some  have  maintained,  yet  it 
was  certainly  a  revolting  one,  would  subject  him  to  an  end- 
less amount  of  scandal,  and  thus  destroy  his  influence. 

2.  The  law  of  Moses  (Lev.  21  :  7)  forbade  a  priest  to 
marry  an  unchaste  woman.  In  regard  to  this,  the  law  of 
ceremonial   purity  relative  to   the  priesthood  is  not  to  be 


44 

applied  to  the  prophet,  for  the  priest  would  not  even  marry 
a  divorced  woman.  The  high  priest  (Lev.  21 :  13, 14)  could 
not  marry  a  widow.  But  the  prophets  were  nevertheless  a 
sacred  order  of  men  as  well  as  the  priests,  and  God  would 
not  specially  direct  them  to  form  alliances  of  this  kind. 

3.  An  argument  from  the  third  chapter  in  which  the 
prophet  is  again  required  to  form  another  such  connection, 
without  any  intimation  that  the  former  wife  is  dead  or  put 
away.  Is  this  a  direction  to  renew  his  connection  with  the 
woman  ?  Or  is  it  a  direction  to  marry  irrespective  of  the 
command  ?  The  force  of  this  argument  depends  upon  the 
interpretation  to  be  put  upon  this  latter  command, 
(Chap.  3).  If  it  is  interpreted  as  a  mere  repetition  of  the 
former  command,  the  argument  has  no  force.  If  it  is  a  new 
command,  the  argument  will  apply.  The  whole  appear- 
ance of  the  second  command  is  against  a  previous  actual 
marriage. 

4.  Significant  names  of  the  children  of  this  woman  seem 
to  show  that  it  was  merei}r  allegorical. 

5.  The  action  of  the  first  chapter  would  require  years 
for  its  performance,  requiring  not  only  his  marriage,  but 
the  birth  of  several  children. 

The  symbolic  lesson  would  be  lost  entirely,  and  the 
people  would  think  of  the  scandal.  The  marriage  is  simplv 
an  allegory.     [W.  H.  G.] 

Date. — "  The  word  of  the  Lord  that  came  unto  liosea, 
the  son  of  Beeri,  in  the  days  of  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahuz,  and 
Hezekiah,  kings  of  Judah,  and  in  the  days  of  Jeroboam, 
the  son  of  Joash,  king  of  Israel,"  Hosea  1  :  1. 

Duration  of  Ministry. — Hosea  1 :  1,  Uzziah  reigned  52 
years,  Jotham  16,  Ahaz  16,  Hezekiah  29,  in  all  113.  It 
can  not  be  supposed  that  Hosea  was  prophet  during  the 
entire  reigns  of  all  these.  Jeroboam  II.  died  784  B.  C. 
Uzziah  survived  him  26  or  27  years.  From  the  death  of 
Jeroboam  to  the  accession  of  Hezekiah,  was  58  years. 
Supposing  Hosea  was  prophet  one  year  under  Jeroboam, 
and  one  year  under  Hezekiah,  his  ministry  would  have 
been  sixty  years  in  length.  We  are  not  informed  whether 
Hosea  lived  to  see  the  overthrow  of  Samaria  or  not.  If  so, 
his  ministry  would  be  65  years.  If  he  began  his  ministry 
when  20,  he  was  85,  when  he  died,  the  oldest  of  all  the 
prophets.  The  truth  of  the  title  has  been  impugned.  In 
answer  to  the  charge  that  these  statements  are  false,  we 
answer  : 


45 

1.  Those  who  make  them  are  not  agreed  among  them- 
selves as  to  the  length  of  his  ministry.  Some  say  55^  others 
40,  others  30,  others  20,  and  other  still  less.  This  disagree- 
ment betrays  the  insufficiency  of  the  data. 

2.  The  method  pursued  by  them  is  inadmissible.  They 
assume  the  ministry  of  the  prophet  terminated  immediately 
after  the  latest  event  recorded  in  the  prophecy,  and  that  the 
absence  of  allusion  to  any  important  event  shows  that  it 
did  not  occur  during  hi3  ministry;  but  Hosea  was  not  in- 
tending to  give  a  history  of  all  events.  Ewald  says  he 
makes  no  mention  of  the  invasion  by  the  king  of  Assyria, 
and  therefore  it  can  not  have  transpired  during  his  min- 
istry, or  he  surely  would  have  alluded  to  it.  Simpson  finds 
}'n  allusion  to  the  assassination  of  Menahem's  son,  Peka- 
hiah,  by  Pekah  son  of  Kemaliah. 

3.  The  title  is  directly  established  by  the  statements  of 
the  book  itself.  In  1  :  4,  the  fall  of  the  house  of  Jehu  is 
predicted  as  still  future.  With  the  exception  of  six  months 
Jeroboam  was  the  last  king,  hence  Hosea's  ministry  must 
have  begun  in  the  reign  of  Jeroboam.  In  10:  14,  "  as 
Shalman  spoiled  Betharbel  in  the  day  of  battle."  Beth- 
arbel  is  Arbela,  a  fortified  town  in  Galilee;  Shalman  is 
Shalmaneser,  whose  invasion  was  under  Hoshea  the  last 
king  of  Israel,  which  brings  us  almost  to  the  reign  of  Hez- 
ekiah.  From  the  former  passage  he  must  have  begun  in 
the  reign  of  Jeroboam  ;  from  the  latter  passage  he  must 
have  continued  to  Hezekiah. 

Structure  of  the  Book. — Critics  are  divided.  From  the 
brevity  of  the  book  it  is  not  probable  that  it  contains  all 
the  prophecies  Hosea  ever  uttered.  Does  not  contain  dis- 
tinct discourses  which  we  can  state  particularly,  and  their 
date  be  ascertained.  Dr.  Wells  says  there  are  five  discour- 
ses in  chronological  order.  German  critics  go  to  the  most 
unwarrantable  extremes,  multiplying  these  divisions,  saying 
that  the  book  is  compiled  without  any  order  at  all.  Maurer 
says  13  discourses  ;  others  say  29 ;  some  17,  14,  etc.,  and 
others  many  more.  Each  paragraph  is  searched  to  find  an 
historical  statement  as  the  theme  of  discourse.  The  book 
is  not  a  congeries  of  fragments,  but  is  one  continuous  com- 
position prepared  by  him  near  the  close  of  his  ministry, 
and  having  in  condensed  form  the  discourses  of  his  min- 
istry. He  simply  places  upon  record  what  is  of  perma- 
nent value  to  the  people  of  God  in  such  a  form  as  would 
suit  best  his  immediate  purposes. 


46 

Ewald  proposes  an  ingenious  but  artificial  division.  He 
says  there  are  two  parts  corresponding  to  the  two  allego- 
ries in  chaps.  1  and  2.  1-2  are  the  first  part  of  the  allegory 
and  the  comments  ;  the  remainder,  3-14,  is  the  second  part 
of  the  allegory  and  comments.  This  last  comment  has  three 
parts  :  1,  Charge  of  sin  against  the  people,  and  against 
particular  classes;  2,  Denunciation  of  punishment ;  3,  Two 
retrospects  of  ancient  and  better  days. 

Perhaps  the  most  satisfactory  division  is  based  upon  the 
literary  form  of  the  book.  The  first  three  chapters  are  em- 
blematic. The  second  part  of  the  book,  from  4th  to  14th 
chapter,  is  literal.     Agreeably  to  a  hint  furnished  b}'  chap. 

1  :  2,  the  former  may  be  considered  as  the  earlier  part  of 
the  prophet's  ministry.  This  corresponds  to  the  contents 
of  the  text.  In  this  the  people  are  charged  with  outward 
sins.  From  the  4th  chapter  the  tone  of  the  book  mani- 
festly changes,  and  the  latter  division  reflects  the  turbulent 
period,  regicides,  etc.  Reason  in  the  first  three  chapters 
for  the  overthrow  of  the  kingdom  clearly  foretold,  and  an- 
nouncing who  shall  be  the  authors  of  that  judgment.  In 
the  first  part  of  the  book,  the  Assyrians  are  not  mentioned 
by  name,  but  in  the  subsequent  chapters  they  are  named. 
In  each  of  these  three  main  sections  of  the  book  are  three 
Messianic  passages,  making  the  ends  of  as  many  subdivis- 
ions, Those  in  the  first  section  occur  at  the  close  of  each 
of  the  first  three  chapters.  In  the  second  section  are  three 
promissory  passages,  6  :  1-3  ;  11 :  8-11 ;  14  :  1-9.  The  pass- 
ages are  not  only  of  increasing  length,  but  are  of  growing 
fullness  and  power.  They  are  climactic  in  thought.  Pre- 
dictions of  the  book  relate  partly  to  the  near  and  partly  to 
the  remote  future. 

PREDICTIONS  OF  HOSEA. 

I.  Nearer  predictions:  (a)  ch.  1:  4,  overthrow  of  the 
house  of  Jehu,  cf.  2  Kings  10  :  30  ;  15  :  10,  12.  (b)  The 
complete  destruction  of  the  kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes,  the 
exile  of  the  people,  and  the  desolations  of  the  land,  1 :  4-6  ; 

2  :  11-13  ;  3  :  4,  et  passim. 

Locality  of  the  Exile. — Forms  of  statement  vary,  and  ap- 
pear to  conflict.  8:13,  "They  shall  return  to  Egypt." 
9:6,"  Egypt  shall  gather  them  up,  Memphis  shall  bury 
them."  But,  on  the  other  hand,  11  :  5,  "  He  shall  not  re- 
turn into  the  land  of  Egypt,  but  the  Assyrian   shall  be  his 


47 

king,  because  they  refused  to  return."  9  :  3,  "  They  shall 
not  dwell  in  the  Lord's  land;  but  Ephraim  shall  return  to 
Egypt,  and  they  shall  eat  unclean  things  in  Assyria." 
11  :  11,  "They  shall  tremble  as  a  bird  out  of  Egypt,  and  as 
a  dove  out  of  the  laud  of  Assyria."  These  varying  decla- 
rations seem  to  be  :  (a)  They  shall  be  carried  into  Egypt  ; 
(b)  not  in  Egypt,  but  Assyria ;  (c)  both  into  Egypt  and 
Assyria.  Skeptics  say  this  shows  vacillation  in  mind  of 
prophet.  But  (1)  they  hold  this  book  to  be  a  continuous 
history.  But  it  is  singular  that  the  prophet  should  record 
these  vacillations  in  a  continuous  history.  Vacillations 
would  seem  to  prove  the  book  a  compilation  of  fragments. 
(2)  There  is,  howover,  no  contradiction  here.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  suppose  that  the  prophet  was  of  different  mind 
in  different  periods  of  his  ministry.     The  meaning  either  is, 

(a)  That  while  a  portion  of  the  people  shall  be  scattered  into 
Egypt,  and  find  graves  there,  the  bulk  of  them  shall  not  go 
there,  but  to  Assyria,  (b)  Egypt  is  here  introduced  in  a 
symbolic  sense  as  the  land  in  which  their  fathers  had  been 
in  bondage,  and  they  should  be  carried  not  into  literal 
Egypt,  but  to  a  land  which  shall  be  to  themselves  what 
Egypt  had  been  to  their  fathers. 

In  1 :  7,  he  predicts  that  Judah  shall  not  fall  as  Israel, 
but  shall  be  miraculously  delivered.  Of.  2  Kings  19 :  35, 
host  of  Sennacherib  smitten  by  an  angei.  8  :  14,  subsequent 
destruction  of  Judah's  cities  is  directly  threatened.  The 
captivity  is  not  predicted,  but  presupposed,  1 :  11,  and 
2  Kings  25  :  8,  9.  The  destruction  of  the  palaces  of  Judah 
by  fire  was  fulfilled  130  years  after  his  death,  in  588,  B.  C. 

II.  In  addition  to  these  predictions,  II.  predicts  four 
blessings  belonging  to  the  remote  future,  (a)  1 :  10,  Im- 
mense   multiplication   of  Israel,   as  the  sand   of  the    sea. 

(b)  Return  to  God  and  enjoyment  of   his  favor,  2  :  20,  21. 

(c)  Union  with  Judah  under  King  David,  the  lawful  prince 
of  David's  line,  1  :  11;  3:  5.  (d)  Their  return  thus  nnited 
irom  the  land  of  their  captivity,  1 :  11;  11 :  11. 

Each  of  these  is  disclosed  in  contrast  with  existing  or 
threatening  evils.  These  evils  are  :  (a)  The  impending  de- 
struction of  the  kingdom  ;  (b)  Their  apostasy  from  God  ; 
(c)  Their  schism  from  Judah  ;  (d)  Threatened  captivity. 
From  the  judgments  upon  Israel,  they  might  fear  they  would 
be  extirpated,  and  what  is  to  become  of  the  promises  ?  H. 
discloses  that  the  promises  shall  abide  in  their  full  force. 
The  work  of  purgatiou  shall  be  the  means  of  fulfilling  the 


48 

promise.  The  schism  between  Israel  and  Judah  shall  ter- 
minate. In  what  are  we  to  look  for  the  fulfillment  of 
these  predictions  of  blessings  ?  They -were  partially  ful- 
filled before  Christ.  When  some  of  the  Israelites  were 
mingled  with  the  tribe  of  Judah  in  the  return  under  Zerub- 
babel  they  never  relapsed  into  idolatry,  2  Chron.  10  :  17  ; 
11 :  13-16.  This  blending  began  before  the  captivity  by 
emigration.  It  is  further  asserted  that  the  ten  tribes  were 
carried  into  the  same  land,  into  which  Judah  was  subse- 
quently carried — Babylon.  Mention  is  particularly  made 
of  Levi,  Benjamin,  Ephraim,  and  Manasseh  being  with 
Judah  in  settling  Jerusalem,  I  Chron.  9  :  2,3.  After  re- 
turn from  exile  thev  are  repeatedly  called  Israel,  Rom.  9  : 
6;  11:  26;  Ezra  2":  70;  6:  16,17.  The  twelve  tribes  are 
recognized  in  the  N.  T.,  Acts  26  :  7.  Paul  was  of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin,  Phil.  3  :  5  ;  Anna,  tribe  of  Asher, 
Luke  2:  36.  While  here  are  incipient  and  partial  fulfill- 
ments, we  do  not  find  what  corresponds  particular  y  and 
directly  to  the  terms  of  the  predictions.  There  was  no 
multitude,  as  predicted,  no  complete  conversion  to  God, 
no  inalienable  possession  of  God's  favor.  The  entire  body 
of  Israel  was  not  united  to  Judah.  Zerubbabel  was  not 
king,  and  all  Israel  do  not  return.  As  inadequately  met 
before  the  coming  of  Christ,  we  must  look  for  the  residue 
since  his  coming. 

This  is  explained  in  two  ways,  (a)  The  lineal  descend- 
ants of  the  patriarchs,  Israel  ;  (b)  the  spiritual  seed,  those 
who  are  successors  to  the  privileges  of  Israel.  If  we  adopt 
the  former,  the  substance  of  the  prediction  is  that  the 
lineal  descendants  will  be  as  numerous  as  the  sands  of  the 
sea,  be  converted  to  God,  and  made  His  people.  The  theo- 
cratic king  of  the  house  of  David  will  be  Christ  on  an 
earthly  throne;  thus  the  prediction  becomes  a  wholly 
national  one,  only  applied  to  the  ten  tribes,  or,  at  most,  to 
the  descendants  of  Jacob.  Any  other  application  is  sub- 
versive of  any  real  intent.  According  to  the  other  view 
the  descendants  of  Israel  are  to  be  counted  not  in  the 
lineal  descent  of  the  tribes,  but  in  a  spiritual  succession. 
In  favor  of  this  latter  view  is  urged  : 

1.  Israel  as  God's  people,  and  in  the  sense  of  the  promise 
never  was  co-extensive  with  Abraham's  natural  posterity. 
Some  excluded,  others  outside  included.  Ishmael  and  the 
sons  of  Keturah  cut  off.  The  descent  was  counted  in  the 
line  of  Isaac,  Esau  was   cut  off,  and  and  the  line  counted 


49 

from  Jacob.  A  provision  was  made  at  the  same  time  to 
give  the  seal  of  circumcision  to  those  in  the  house  of  Abra- 
ham. In  every  period  of  the  history  of  God's  people  has 
this  been  the  case,  Ex.  12  :  38-49.  Multiplication  in  Egypt 
a  mixed  multitude,  Ex.  12  :  49.  Strangers  as  those  born 
in  the  land,  at  the  same  time  those  who  violated  the  cove- 
nant were  cut  oft'  from  the  people,  Gen.  17:  14.  This  ex- 
cision might  occur  on  a  large  or  small  scale,  might  affect 
individuals  or  whole  nations,  Ex.  1  :  10 — the  ten  tribes  re- 
jected. 2  Kings  17:  18.  God  was  angry  with  Israel. 
When  Christ  came,  another  great  excision  occurred  :  those 
who  received  Christ  were  called  the  true  Israel,  all  others 
being  apostates.  It  was  the  faithful  few  who  inherited  the 
promises,  and  at  the  same  time  their  numbers  were  in- 
creased by  believing  Gentiles,  and  thus  the  continuity  was 
preserved.  God  did  not  have  one  people  under  the  O.  T., 
and  another  under  the  N.  T.,  not  one  church  then,  and 
another  now.  It  was  Israel  then  and  is  Israel  still,  by  a 
regular  succession.  Israel  was  a  church  as  well  as  a  nation, 
and  the  promises  were  to  Israel  as  a  church.  In  the  light 
of  the  history  of  the  case,  believers  are  those  to  whom  the 
promises  were  made,  and  the  church  of  the  O.  T.  continued 
in  that  of  the  N.  T. 

2.  The  abundant  and  explicit  testimony  of  the  N".  T. 
favors  this  view,  John  8  :  39  ;  Gal.  3:  7;  3:  28,29;  Rom. 
2:  28,  29;  4:  11,  12;  9:  6,8;  Rom.  11  argues  at  length 
this  view  in  the  grafting  in  of  the  Gentile  branch  to  the 
original  olive  tree,  and  the  ultimate  conversion  of  the 
original  tree;  Eph.  2:  12-20;  Rev.  2:  9 ;  3  :  9.  These 
are  the  most  striking  representations  thatbelieversin  Christ 
constitute  the  true  people  of  God. 

3.  That  this  was  the  view  taken  by  the  apostles,  and  by 
them  made  current  in  the  early  church,  may  be  confirmed 
in  this  :  that  if  the  Jewish  converts  were  heirs  of  anything 
particular  in  the  church,  they  would  not  be  blended  with 
others.  If  the  promises  had  been  exclusively  to  the  de- 
scendants of  the  patriarchs  as  such,  they  would  not  have 
been  permitted  to  blend  with  Gentiles.  There  would  then 
have  been  a  distinction  between  Gentile  and  Jewish  church. 

4.  This  distinction  not  having  been  maintained  between 
Jewish  and  Gentile  converts,  it  would  now  lead  to  a  most 
singular  anomaly  to  claim  that  the  Jews  are  to  receive 
honor  above  the  Gentiles,  for  if  that  be  so  the  descendants 
of  the  Jews  who  rejected  the  Messiah  when  he  came  are  to 


50 

be  exalted  above  those  who  accepted  him,  for  only  the  for- 
mer can  be  recognized,  as  the  latter  are  lost  in  their  union 
with  the  Gentiles. 

5.  The  very  predictions  of  H.  now  in  question  are  ap- 
plied bv  two  apostles  to  believing  Gentiles  :  Paul  in  Rom. 
9;  25,  26  ;  Peter  in  1  Pet.  2:  9,^10.  Thus  applied  by  the 
apostle  of  the  uncircumcision  and  the  apostle  of  the  cir- 
cumcision. Other  arguments  tending  to  the  same  conclu- 
sion will  be  raised  in  taking  up  other  prophets. 

Conclusion. — The  Christian  church,  considered  as  a  body 
of  believers,  is  the  heir  of  the  promises,  and  it  is  to  the 
church  that  the  promises  are  to  be  fulfilled.  This  is 
not  expecting  a  promise  to  be  fulfilled  to  one  when  made 
to  another.  Nor  is  it  taking  a  promise  in  one  sense, 
and  then  using  it  in  another,  but  Israel,  in  the  Bible  sense, 
is  the  Christian  church.  How  are  we  to  expect  these 
promises  to  be  fulfilled?  Ans. — In  a  form  appropriate  to 
N.  T.  dispensation.  This  would  modify  the  meaning  so  as 
to  make  the  healing  of  the  schism  — the  unit}7  of  the  church, 
and  the  return — return  to  the  circle  of  God's  favor.  This 
is  what  the  Holy  Ghost  intended  in  the  promises.  This  is 
the  strict  meaning,  Israel  of  the  promise  are  the  people  of 
God,  for  (a)  true  believers  are  to  be  as  numerous  as  the 
sands  of  the  sea ;  (b)  they  are  united  under  one  head;  they 
should  be  brought  back  to  Canaan. 

Objected: — Threatenings  of  H.  against  Israel  are  taken 
literally,  as  against  lineal  desendants,  while  promises  are 
taken  spiritually,  as  to  the  spiritual  seed.  But  the  church 
was  then  as  always  made  up  of  two  classes.  Threatenings 
were  directed  vs.  unbelievers,  in  which  believers  might  be 
involved  ;  promises  were  to  believers,  by  which  unbelievers 
might  be  indirectly  benefitted  as  far  as  these  were  accom- 
plished under  O.  T.  dispensation,  they  were  accomplished 
in  a  form  appropriate  to  0.  T. ;  as  far  as  they  remained  to 
be  accomplished,  they  will  be  accomplished  in  form  of  N. 
T.  So  as  fulfilled  under  O.  T.,  they  were  fulfilled  literally, 
both  threatenings  and  promises. 

Have  the  lineal  descendants  then  no  part?  Yes.  but 
not  as  Jews,  but  as  believers  in  Christ.  As  to  literal  re- 
turn to  Canaan  :  (1)  Restoration  of  the  Ten  Tribes  at  least 
improbable.  They  cannot  be  any  longer  identified.  (2) 
As  to  the  Jews,  the  N.  T.  predicts  their  conversion,  but  not 
their  return  to  Palestine.  All  the  O.  T.  prophets  who  seem 
to  prophesy  a  return  can  be  explained  like  Hosea.     (3)  It 


51 

is  remarkable,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  Jewish  people 
have  been  preserved  distinct,  and  the  land  can  now  ac- 
commodate them.  We  must  however  suspend  our  judg- 
ment until  the  eveut.  All  prophecies  can  be  explained 
without  this  supposition  ;  but  if  it  should  occur,  it  would 
not  involve  any  inconsistency. 

Critical  Attacks  upon  Hosea. —Kuenen  School.  Hosea 
gives  a  vivid  picture  of  the  prevalence  of  sin  and  corrup- 
tion in  the  land,  and  is  open  in  his  denunciation  of  it, 
especially  of  idolatry.  On  this  critics  base  their  attack, 
and  say  idolatry  was  the  primitive  worship  in  Israel,  and 
that  Hosea  here  attempts  a  revolution.  And  as  all  previous 
books  imply  a  pure  form  of  religion,  they  must  belong  to 
a  later  period,  and  be  not  what  they  claim  to  be,  but  spur- 
ious. Ans. — (1)  By  showing  the  evidence  which  these  pre- 
vious books  afford  of  their  own  genuineness.  (2)  By  show- 
ing the  evidence  which  Hosea  affords  as  to  their  genuine- 
ness, (a)  Hosea  charges  the  people  with  apostasy,  (b) 
Contains  many  allusions  to  Pentateuch  as  a  recognized 
authority.  But  Kuenen  says  that  Torah  of  which  Hosea 
speaks  instruction,  i.  e.  his  own  preaching,  or  a  collection 
of  laws,  but  not  Pentateuch.  We  therefore  can  argue 
nothing  as  to  his  knowledge  of  the  Pentateuch.  Ans. — 
But  Torah  uniformly— Pentateuch,  and  the  Pentateuch  as 
a  written  law.     Ch.  8  :  12. 

Kuenen  says  again,  H.  condemns  the  people's  religion 
because  it  involved  human  sacrifice,  not  because  it  was 
idolatry.  He  might  have  approved  of  idolatry  as  the 
national  religion.  Ans. — This  is  based  on  a  false  rendering 
of  13  :  2,  and  beyond  this  has  no  foundation.  Objected: 
The  quotations  in  N.  T.  from  O.  T.  have  been  claimed  as 
showing  the  impossibility  of  N.  T.  inspiration.  Hos.  11  : 
1  in  Matt.  2  :  15.  In  H.  this  refers  to  the  exodus  of  Israel, 
therefore  Matt,  is  uninspired.  Ans. — Meaning  or  H.  clear. 
Matt.,  in  applying  this  to  Christ,  must  have  known  what 
the  prophet  meant,  Xt  is  explained  not  as  a  new  applica- 
tion—too  definite, — but  as  referred  to  Israel  typically. 
Israel  was  beloved  of  God,  and  beset  by  foes  ;  so  was  Jesus. 


AMOS. 

The  prophet  Amos  was  by  some  early  fathers  confounded 
with  Amoz,  the  father  of  Isaiah.  This  mistake  arose  from 
the    two    words    being    alike    in    the    Greek.      They    are 


52 

altogether  different  in  the  Hebrew.  Amos  means  burden  ; 
Amoz  means  strength.  He  was  taken  from  the  herdsmen 
of  Tekoa,  twelve  Roman  miles  from  Jerusalem,  six  miles 
south  of  Bethlehem.  The  word  "  herdsman  "  is  applied  to  the 
king  of  MoaD  as  the  owner  of  flocks  2  Kings  3:  4.  Was 
Amos  an  owner  of  sheep,  or  a  tender  of  flocks  belonging  to 
others?  We  learn  that  he  did  not  own  them  from  7:  14,  15. 
Thus  his  occupation  as  a  herdsman  is  put  on  a  level  with 
his  gathering  of  sycamore  fruit.  But  this  latter  occupa- 
tion belonged  to  poorer  people.  Further  he  says  he  was 
not  a  prophet — nor  his  previous  vocation,  not  the  son  of  a 
prophet,  i.  e.,  he  had  not  been  taught  in  the  schools  of  the 
prophets  under  Elijah,  Elisha,  etc.  It  would  seem  that  he 
was  sent  on  this  single  errand  to  Israel  from  Judah,  and 
this  may  have  been  the  whole  of  his  ministry. 

Time. — The  time  of  the  delivery  ot  this  message  is  seen 
in  1:  1.  Compare  1  Kings  13:  1.  •  The  timeis  still  further 
defined  by  saying  it  was  two  years  before  the  earthquake. 
Zechariah  speaks  of  it,  14  :  5,  the  beginning  ot  threatening 
judgments.  But  this  does  not  aid  us,  for  we  do  not  know 
when  it  took  place.  Prove  however  that  his  prophecy  was 
not  committed  to  writing  immediately  upon  its  delivery. 
Since  he  could  not  have  dated  his  ministry  with  reference 
to  an  event  still  future. 

Divisions.— Chs.  1-6,  literal  ;  7-9,  allegorical  ;  Amos 
consists  of  three  parts.  The  three  parts  are:  (a)  ch.  1  : 
2-5-2:  5,  introductory  ;  (b)  2:  6f  9  :  10,  denunciatory  ;  (c) 
9  :  11-15,  promissory. 

Theme. —  The  theme  is  announced  in  1  :  2,  a  sentence 
partly  taken  from  Joel  3  :  16.  (a)  He  does  so  first  in  a 
preliminary  denunciation  of  seven  nations  in  succession. 
Six  contiguous  Gentile  nations,  _Syxia,  Philistia,  Tyre, 
Edom,  Amnion,  Moab,  and  finally  Judah.  The  judgments 
are  successive  stanzas  of  like  construction,  suggesting  argu- 
ment a  fortiori.  If  these  heathen  nations  are  to  be  pun- 
ished, how  much  more  Israel.  The  heathen  are  generally 
contemplated  as  the  foes  of  Israel;  in  Amos  it  is  different. 
Also,  if  Judah  is  punished,  how  much  more  Israel.  These 
denunciations  are  embraced  in  seven  stanzas  of  precisely 
the  same  structure,  opened  and  concluded  in  same  way. 

The  sins  against  the  nations  are  offenses  against  the 
theocracy.  In  the  case  of  Judah  the  sin  is  different.  The 
highest  offense  is  violation  of  God's  law.  Gentiles  vs.  the 
maltreatment  of  God's  people.     The   only  exception,  it  it 


53 

be  such,  is  the  charge  in  2:1,  against  Moab — often se 
against  the  gentiles.  Because  probably  at  this  time  Edom 
was  a  subject  or  ally  of  Judah.  (b)  Then  follows  the  main 
portion  of  the  book,  the  denunciation  against  Israel.  After 
four  chapters  of  literal,  it  is  presented  in  the  form  of  five 
sjanbolic  visions.  The  five  are  to  represent  not  as  many 
distinct  judgments,  but  are  to  be  taken  together  as  the 
same  judgment  in  different  figures. 

Visions. — 1.  The  first  vision,  7  :  1-3,  presents  the  in- 
struments of  judgments,  grasshoppers,  under  the  symbol 
of  devouring  locusts,  being  the  symbol  of  foreign  foes.    ^~^  c 

2.  The  second  sets  forth  the  source  of  these  judgments, 
7  :  4-7.  It  is  a  devouring  fire,  symbolical  of  God's  de- 
vouring wrath.        -fw*  c- 

3.  The  third  vision,  7:  7-9,  exhibits  the  character  of 
the  judgments,  righteous  retribution.  A  plumb  line  is 
seen,  and  all  that  is  not  perpendicular  is  thrown  down. 
This  is  the  test  of  their  uprightness.  Here  the  prophet  i-s 
interrupted  by  Amaziah,  the  priest  of  Bethel,  forbidding 
him  to  prophesy  any  longer,  and  telling  him  to  leave  the 
country.  He  then  resumes  the  series  of  his  visions  in  the 
8th  chapter. 

4.  The  fourth  vision,  8  :  1-3,  is  intended  to  represent 
the  near  approach  of  judgments.  The  prophet  sees  a 
basket  of  summer  fruit,  and  Israel  is  shown  to  be  ripe  for 
judgment.  It  is  more  expressive  in  the  Hebrew  on  account 
of  the  sound  of  the  vowels. 

5.  Then  the  last  vision,  9:  1,  the  actual  infliction  of 
judgment.  The  Lord  is  seen  standing  by  the  altar  of 
idolatry,  and  striking  down  and  slaying.  The  idol  is  help- 
less to  deliver.  Hengstenberg  makes  this  altar — that  at  Je- 
rusalem. ]STo  ground  for  this.  Rather  from  the  connection 
(8:  14)  the  altar  at  Bethel,  which  is  denounced  in  other 
parts  of  the  book  (3:  14;  4:  4,)  and  by  another  man  of 
God  sent  to  Jeroboam  I.     (1  Kings  13  :  1.) 

The  main  lessons  taught  by  Amos  are  identical  with 
those  taught  by  Hosea. 

Nearer  Predictions. — (a)  7:  9,  The  house  of  Jeroboam 
shall  perish  by  the  sword:  fulfilled  in  2  Kings  15  :  10,  his 
son  killed  after  a  reign  of  six  months. 

(b)  He  predicts  further  the  destruction  of  the  kingdom, 
the  desolation  of  the  land,  and  the  exile  of  the  people, 
which  was  fulfilled  after  the  partial  deportation  by  Tiglath- 


54 

Pileser,  was  completed  by  Shalmaneser,  king  of  Assyria,_2 
Kings  17  :  6.     This  occupies  the  main  body  of  the  book. 

(c)  6  :  9-10.  Account  of  great  siege.  As  regards  the 
fulfillment  of  this  we  have  n.o  means  of  knowing,  but  from 
2  Kings  17  :  5,  we  learn  that  the  siege  lasted  three  years  ; 
and  2  Kings  6  :  6-24,  shows  the  great  distress  of  Samaria, 
famine  and  pestilence,  on  a  former  occasion. 

(d)  Predicts  that  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Amaziah 
shall  fall  by  the  sword,  and  he  himself  die  in  exile.  Of 
this  we  have  no  further  account — no  means  of  knowing 
whether  the  prediction  was  actually  fulfilled — no  history  on 
the  matter. 

(c)  The  special  predictions  of  desolation  to  Israel,  3  :  14  ; 
visit  to  altars  of  Bethel,  3:  14;  5:  5;  Gilgal,  7  :  9;  c/.  2 
Kings  13  :  10-15. 

More  Remote  Predictions,  9:  11-15. — Promissory  portion 
told  at  the  close  of  denunciation  :  9  :  8,  9,  that  the.  exile  and 
dispersion  would  not  be  a  total  destruction  of  the  people, 
but  s h o uJ .d_ he  sl sift i n g,  so  as  to  effect  a  separation  between 
the  good  and  bad,  the  good  are  to  remain.  Tii.e_fiilLeu.and 
ruined  tabernacle  of  David  should  be  raised  up,  repaired 
and  restored,  9:  11.  This  means  David  and  his  royal  house 
shall  be  restored  to  former  splendor,  2  :  5.  The  fall  of 
Judah  is  presupposed.  That  it  is  spoken  of  as  fallen  is  not 
sufficient  explained  in  that  in  his  time  the  rule  diminished 
from  twelvetribesto  Judah,  but  that  it  shouldinclude  the  fall 
of  Judah  also,  and  should  entirely  fall  before  the  coming  of 
Christ.  Thia  was  fulfilled  in  the  fall  of  the  royal  line,  after 
the  Babylonish  captivity.  The  house  of  David  ceased  to  be 
royal,  and  was  reduced  to  a  private  condition,  but  in  Christ 
this  kingdom  has  been  restored.  The  tabernacle  of  David 
has  been  set  up  in  Christ. 

Again,  Amos  predicts  that  its  sway  shall  extend  over 
Ed.om,  and  all  the  heathen  which  are  called  by  the  name  of 
yie_I_oxdT_9  :  12.  This  can  not  mean  only  those  nations 
which  David  had  overcome,  for  this  would  merely  mean 
that  the  limits  of  the  restored  kingdom  would  be  as  exten- 
sive as  previously.  No  instance  can  be  adduced  of  an  ap- 
plication of  this  name  to  any  nation  because  it  was  tributary 
to  Judah  or  subject  to  it,  but  applied  to  the  covenant  peo- 
ple of  God,  Deut.  28:  10.  "Called  by  the  name  of  the 
Lord,"  wherever  used,  is  applied  to  the  covenant  people  of 
God,  2  Chron.  7:14;  Dan.  9:  18,  19;  Jer.  25  i  29.  In 
conformity  with  this  usage,  the  meaning  here  must  be  that 


55 

the  re-created  kingdom/,  shall  bear  sway  over  Edom  and 
other  heathen  nations,  which  shall  in  consequence  become 
a  part  of  the  covenant  people.  They  shall  thenceforth  be 
calTed  by  the  name  of  the  Lord.  The  conquest,  from  this 
description  of  it,  must  not  be  by  force  of  arms,  but  con- 
quered in  a  spiritual  sense.  This,  therefore,  is  a  prophecy 
of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles.  As  such  it  is  quoted  in  Acts 
15  :  15-17. 

Further,  he  predicts  the,permanent  restoration  of  Israel 
ojrt_of_captivity  to  their  own  land,  9:  13-15,  and  never  to 
be  removed  from  it  again.  .This  must  be  as  parallel  in 
Hosea,  partly  fulfilled  in  the  return  from  exile.  The  0.  T. 
forms  must  be  replaced  by  N.  T.  corresponding  things. 
The  rest  was  fulfilled  in  Christ,  It  will  thus  be  seen  that 
Hosea  and  Amos  agree  entirely  in  predictions  of  the  proxi- 
mate future  or  Messianic  period.  They  predict  the  fall  of 
the  house  of  Jeroboam,  and  the  utter  destruction  of  the 
kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes.  Amos  does  not  mention  As- 
syria as  the  instrument  of  judgment,  which  Hosea  does,  but 
he  threatens  captivity  to  both  Israel  and  Judah,  by  a  nation, 
to  be  raised  up,  6:  14.  This  captivity  is  to  be  a  distinct 
one  beyond  Damascus,  5  :    27. 

Special  Predictions. — That  the  smaller  kingdoms  in  the 
vicinity  of  Israel  should  be  desolated,  direful  mortality, 
etc.  In  regard  to  Messianic  periods  Ho6ea  and  Amos  agree 
in  a  spiritual  sense.  They  predict  permanent  restoration. 
They  shall  be  united  and  governed  under  the  son  of  David. 
Amos  goes  beyond  Hosea.  (a)  In  showing  the  prostrate 
condition  of  the  family  of  David;  (b)  the  announcement  in 
express  terms  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  which  we  have 
seen  is  implicitly  set  forth  in  Hosea;  (c)  in  clear  statement 
that  nothing  was  to  be  hoped  for  by  ten  tribes  except  in 
connection  with  Judah. 


JONAH. 

Son  of  Ainittai,  1 :  1.  Native  of  Gasb-Heepher,  2  Kings 
14  :  2-5.  Which  was  in  the  bounds  of  Zebulon,  Josh.  19: 
13.  Tarshish,  a  Phoenician  settlement  in  the  south  of 
Spain.  Jerome  says  Gash-Heepher  was  two  miles  from 
Sephoris  on  the  way  to  Tiberias. 

Date. — Only  data  accessible  are  obtained  from  the  fol- 
lowing considerations,      (a)  2  Kings  14:   25.      Israel's  en- 


56 

largement  by  Jeroboam  was  said  to  be  in  fulfillment  of 
Jonah's  prophecy,  therefore  J.  prophesied  upon  close  of 
Jeroboam's  reign,  (b)  Position  among  minor  prophets  in 
the  canon.  It  comes  after  Amos,  who  prophesied  in  later 
years  of  Jeroboam's  reign.  So  Jonah  must  have  begun  to 
prophesy  near  the  close  of  J's  reign.  But  it  comes  Uefbr-e 
Micah,  who  prophesied  in  reign  of  Jotham,  therefore  the 
greater  part  of  his  ministry  must  have  come  before  this 
time,  (c)  Date  of  the  first  invasion  of  Israel  was  in  reign 
of  Meuahem,  2  Kings,  15  :  19.  J's  mission  to  Nineveh  was 
for  the  warning  of  Israel,  therefore  as  this  invasion  was 
the  first  assumption  of  a  threatening  attitude  on  part  of 
Assyria,  a  time  after  this  invasion  would  be  a  proper  time 
for  this  mission.  A  few  months  of  reign  and  twelve  years 
of  interregnum  are  required  by  the  chronology  of  the  two 
kingdoms  after  Jeroboam.  We  therefore,  argue,  that 
2  Kings  14  :  25,  and  the  book  of  Jonah  were  at  different 
periods. 

Divisions. — (1)  Chaps.  1,  2,  first  mission,  Mercy.  (2) 
Chaps.  3,  4,  second  mission. 

Contents. — Extraordinary  nature  of  some  of  the  events 
has  occasioned  critical  attacks.  Abarband:  whole  account 
of  the  fish  was  a  dream  of  Jonah's  while  he  was  sleeping  in 
the  side  of  vessel.  Clericus  :  and  by  a  vessel  with  figure- 
head of  a  whale.  Vanderhart:  whole  narrative  a  mere  al- 
legory. Others:  a  moral  fiction  conveying  a  lesson;  a 
popular  legend  with  an  historical  basis  ;  a  heathen  myth, 
without  any  historical  basis.  We  have  no  reason  to  believe 
it  is  not  historical,  (a)  The  whale  is  the  great  stumbling- 
block.  But  while  the  miracle  is  peculiar,  it  is  no  more 
difficult  than  any  other  miracle. 

Objected:  No  whales  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  if  there 
were,  their  mouth  is  too  small  to  swallow  a  man  whole. 

Ans. — Th£L_£pecies  of  fish  is  not  defined.  Heb.  LXX. 
Vulgate — "  great  fish."  Modern  interpreters  hold  it  to 
have  been  a  species  of  shark,  white,  soft,  long,  which  are 
known  to  have  swallowed  men  whole.  (b)  Repentance  of 
Ninevites  incredible,  and  no  mention  ot  it  by  profane  his- 
torians. Ans. — (1)  Apart  from  Spirit  of  God  there  was 
great  incentive.  The  Assyrians  were  greatly  superstitious 
and  would  be  likely  moved  by  the  appearance  among  them 
of  a  strange  prophet,  from  a  foreign  country,  of  whose 
wonderful  deliverance  they  may  have  heard.  (2)  The  con- 
dition of  the  emDire,  defeat  of  their  armies,  may  have  pre- 


57 

disposed  them  to  listen  to  the  warning  message.  (3)  It  is 
not  mentioned  by  profane  historians  because  they  had  no 
Assyrian  records  for  it.  There  were  no  records  because  it 
was  too  evanescent,  and  because  such  events  are  not  re- 
corded, (c)  Covering  of  beasts  with  sackcloth  improbable. 
Ans. — We  learn  from  Herodotus  that  it  was  a  custom  to 
make  animals  participate  in  their  religious  observances, 
c.  g.,  shaving  hair  from  horses  for  religious  rejoicing,  (d) 
Various  myths  have  been  proposed  as  substitutes  for  the 
history.  But  (1)  they  had  no  resemblance  to  the  narrative. 
Oanes,  half  man  and  half  fish.  Resemblance  merely  in 
name.  Andromeda,  chained  to  rock;  delivered  by  Per- 
seus. Resemblance  merely  in  fret  that  A.  was  exposed  to 
a  sea-monster.  The  oldest  form  is  Hesione  chained  to  a 
rock.  In  2nd  century,  A.  D.,  was  said  she  was  swallowed 
by  a  fish,  and  5th  century  A.  D.,  was  added  that  she  was 
disgorged.  This  shows  how  legends  grow  with  the  form  of 
history.  (2)  The  Jews  never  adopted  such  myths.  (3)  If 
they  had  they  would  have  shaped  this  more  to  suit  their 
national  prejudices. 

Positive  Arguments  in  Favor  of  Historical  Character. — (a) 
Natural,  obvious  interpretation  of  the  language,  (b)  Ad- 
mission into  the  canon,  (c)  Authority  ofthe  N.  T.,  especi- 
ally Christ's  specific  reference  to  Jonah  as  a  type  of  himself. 
Although  of  a  genuine  historical  character,  the  narrative 
is  not  given  as  mere  history,  but  for  the  spiritual  lessons 
which  it  contains.  This  is  proved.  (1)  Comparatively  small 
part  of  the  book  is  occupied  with  historical  occurrences, 
and  a  moral  lesson  is  implied  in  all  that  are  related.  (2) 
Position  in  the  canon — being  among  the  prophetic  books, 
though  not  itself  prophetic.  If  it  had  been  mere  history  it 
would  have  been  classed  among  the  historical  books,  e.g., 
Samuel.  It  is  put  among  prophetic  books  because  the 
events  recorded  are  typical.  (3)  Character  of  his  mission. 
Designed  not  so  much  to  secure  repentance  of  Nineveh  nor 
as  a  promise  to  Gentiles,  as  a  lesson  to  Israel,  cf.  Jer.  27  : 
2,  3.  (4)  No  attempt  at  permanent  result,  as  in  cases  of 
Elijah  and  Christ  with  the  Gentiles.  (5)  Testimony  of 
Christ,  who  calls  attention  to  the  spiritual  lessons  of  this 
book. 

Lesson  of  this  Book. — (1)  A  means  by  which  other  proph- 
ets may  justify  themselves  when  their  predictions  fail, 
Hitzeg.  This  is  purely  skeptical,  based  upon  failure  of 
prophecy.     (2)  Salvation  was  to  be  by  penitence  and  pious 


58 

feeling,  e.g.  Sailors,  Jonah.  Ninevites  repented  and  were 
saved.  (3)  Narrowness  of  the  Jews.  Jehovah  was  God  of 
Gentiles  also.  To  understand  this  we  must  see  what  were 
the  motives  of  Jonah's  action,  Fairbairn.  If  God  should 
overthrow  N.  for  its  sins,  this  would  be  a  striking  instance 
of  his  justice,  and  would  lead  Israel  to  repentance.  J.  de- 
sires this,  but  fearing  God's  mercy  would  save  it,  he  fled. 
Jewish  tradition,  more  concerned  for  his  country  (Son) 
than  for  his  God.  (Father.)  Others  And  a  motive  in  dif- 
fidence;  risk  of  the  undertaking,  hopelessness  of  the  task. 
True  view  :  J.  feared  to  preach  to  N.  lest  it  should  be  spared 
lor  the  overthrow  of  Israel.  He  desires  to  die  after  the 
repentance  of  the  city,  because  he  felt  that  the  doom  of 
his  country  was  sealed,     rf.  Elijah  at  Carmel. 

Symbolic  events  show  Gentiles  less  obdurate  than  Israel. 
Two  fold  application,  (a)  Admonitory — of  the  present. 
J.  cast  into  the  sea  for  his  disobedience;  mariners  cry  to 
God  and  are  saved.  Israel  had  many  prophets,  yet  had  not 
repented.  1ST.  repents  at  the  preaching  of  one.  (b)  Typical. 
J.  cast  out  of  ship,  afterwards  delivered  ;  Jews  rejected, 
though  not  utterly  destroyed.  J.  preaches  to  Gentile  Nin- 
eveh, who  repents.  Word  of  God  will  be  preached  to  Gen- 
tiles who  repent.  Plainly  stated,  Amos  9:  12.  Same  truth 
taught  elsewhere  in  Scripture.  Elijah  was  sent  to  widow 
of  Zarepta,  1  Kings  17.  Elisha  cures  Naaman,  2  Kings  5. 
Christ  preaches  to  woman  of  Samaria,  John  4.  Syrophce- 
nician  woman's  daughter  healed,  Mark  7.  Magi  at  the 
Saviour's  birth.  Christ  unfoldsa  still  deeper  typical  mean- 
ing in  Jonah's  being  in  the  belly  of  the  fish.  Typical  of 
His  death  and  burial.  Not  merely  as  to  length  of  time  ; 
but  the  apparent  destruction  of  Jonah  was  not  end  of  his 
work.  It  only  paves  the  way  for  his  miraculous  deliverance 
and  preaching  to  the  Ninevites.  Same  fact  is  apparently 
used  in  Rom.  11 :  15. 

Date  of  Composition. — Various  views.  Assyrian  exile. 
Time  of  king  Josiah.  Time  of  Maccabees.  Those  who 
held  to  mythical  origin  place  it  as  far  as  possible  from  time 
of  Prophets.  This  class  argue  (a)  J.  not  the  author  because 
he  is  spoken  of  in  third  person.  This  is  the  case  in  books 
of  undoubted  authorship,  (b)  Numerous  Aramaisms.  No 
more  than  in  Ho  ea,  whose  date  is  acknowledged,  (c) 
Prayer  of  Jonah  is  taken  from  Psalms  written  after  Exile. 
We  may  claim  as  well  that  Psalms  were  composed  from  J's 
prayer.     It  is  urged  that  it  is  inappropriate  to  condition  in 


59 

which  J.  was,  therefore  was  not  written  by  Jonah.     Ans. — 

(1)  No  argument.  For  whoever  wrote  the  book  must  have 
thought  it  appropriate  or  he  would  not  have  inserted  it, 
and  J.  may  have   erred  in   this  matter  as   well   as  another. 

(2)  It  is  appropriate,  since  he  had  reason  to  be  thankful  for 
his  deliverance  from  the  sea.  (3)  It  is  natural  that  he 
should  base  his  prayer  on  Scripture,  adapting  figurative 
language  of  others  to  his  own  real  suffering,  (d)  Use  of 
past  tense  in  description  of  Nineveh,  implying  city  not  in 
existence  when  book  was  written.  But  it  merely  implies 
what  it  was  when  J.  found  it,  and  ch.  4:  11,  God  spared 
N.  (e)  Impossible  size  of  city.  Ans. — Measurements  of  an- 
cient historians  agree  with  Jonah's.  Modern  historians 
differ.  Layard  agrees  with  Jonah.  "  Three  days  journey  " 
— circuit  of  city.  Rawlinson  thinks  it  means  sum  of  lengths 
of  all  the  streets.  Far-fetched.  Not  necessary  to  suppose 
all  property  occupied  with  residences. 

Authorship  of  Jonah  Proved. — (a)  The  introduction  is 
such  as  a  prophet  would  claim  for  himself.  This  is  a  pre- 
sumption in  favor  of  its  being  production  of  Jonah.  (6)  It 
is  claimed  for  Jonah,  1  :  1.  (c)  Placed  among  prophetic 
books.  Its  position  is  testimony  of  the  collectors  that  it 
was  the  production  of  Jonah,  and  the  later  the  date  of  the 
writing  the  less  danger  of  mistake,  (d)  Hatred  of  Jews  for 
Gentiles  makes  its  production  at  a  late  date  impossible. 
(e)  Tradition  favors  authorship  of  Jonah. 


ASSYRIAN    PERIOD. 
II— PROPHETS  OF  JUDAH. 

Condition  of  the  Kingdom. — It  was  not  schismatic.  Idol- 
atry was  introduced  by  the  daughter  of  Ahab.  The  reac- 
tion comes  in  more  completely  under  Joash  than  under 
Jehu  in  Jeremiah.  There  were  four  princes  in  this  period. 
The  first  and  second  were  godly  :  Ahaz,  idolatrous  ;  Heze- 
kiah,  reformer.  Evil  was  at  no  time  totally  eradicated. 
Inflictions  by  Syria  and  Assyria. 

There  are  five  prophets  in  this  period  :  Joel,  Obadiah, 
Isaiah,  Micah,  Nahum,  and  this  is  their  chronological  order. 
There  was  conflict  all  the  time  between  evil  tendencies  of 
the  people  and  influences  of  the  good  kings.     The  people 


60 

being  thus  balanced,  God  employed  both  mercy  and  judg- 
ment. In  first  reigns,  mercy  ;  but  the  people  became 
proud  ;  then  judgment,  but  Judah  being  not  yet  ripe  for 
overthrow  was  spared.  Their  ministries  differ  from  those 
of  their  contemporaries  in  Israel. 

1.  They  are  ministries  of  gentleness  rather  than  severity; 
of  hope,  rather  than  denunciation.  They  are  either  posi- 
tive or  negative.  Micah,  positive;  Obadiah,  Nahum,  neg- 
ative; Joel,  Isaiah,  both.  The  'positive  give  greater  space 
to  promise,  and  make  these  of  a  larger  and  fuller  kind  than 
in  Israel.  Exactly  one- half  of  Joel  is  promissory  ;  and 
Isaiah,  in  the  last  twenty-seven  chapters,  devotes  himself 
expressly  to  the  work  of  comfort;  Micah  gives  large  space 
to  promise.  The  contrast  of  this  period  with  Israel  is 
great.  In  Judah,  the  promises  made  are  not  all  left  to  the 
distant  future,  but  include  present  deliverances.  The  nega- 
tive are  consolatory.  Denunciation  and  downfall  of  their 
heathen  foes,  because  the  overthrow  of  these  is  mercy  to 
Judah.  Their  overthrow  is  in  order  that  the  power  may 
be  given  to  Israel.  The  heathen  for  a  time  will  overthrow 
the  people  of  God,  but  it  is  added  that  they  shall  ultimately 
be  cast  down,  and  the  power  given  to  God's  people.  This 
is  so  in  regard  to  Edom  in  Obadiah.  Nahum  tells  of  a 
similar  judgment  on  Nineveh  and  Assyria.  Isaiah  against 
Assyria  and  Babylon. 

2.  The  greater  clemency  of  the  Lord  to  Judah  is  shown 
by  granting  to  the  prophets  of  the  kingdom  a  range  of 
much  greater  foresight  than  to  Israel.  Not  only  do  they 
advise  them  of  the  events  immediately  before  them,  but 
they  also  disclose  the  remote  future,  preparing  the  people 
in  advance  for  remote  necessities,  («)  A  most  appalling  dis- 
aster to  Judah  in  the  succeeding  period,  (b)  Existence  of 
Judah  not  limited  to  this  period,  but  continued,  (c)  Judah 
is  to  be  brought  into  contact  with  the  greatest  nations  of 
the  world,  and  is  to  experience  their  hostility,  (d)  Need- 
ful for  prophetic  marks  of  the  Messiah  to  be  given.  For 
these  reasons  a  much  greater  range  is  given  to  Judah  than 
to  Israel.  The  overthrow  of  the  ten  tribes  and  its  attend- 
ing circumstances  are  almost  the  whole  that  is  given  to 
Israel.  To  Judah,  in  addition:  A  series  of  successive 
judgments  against  Judah  ;  Assyrian  invasion,  and  its  fail- 
ure ;  captivity  of  Babylon  and  its  deliverance;  overthrow 
of  Nineveh;  judgments  against  inferior  foes;  and,  lastly, 
the  overthrow  of  Babylon  herself,  the  foe  of  the  future. 


61 

The  body  of  the  revelations  just  given  has  been 
variously  proportioned.  Joel:  A  general  overthrow  of  the 
future,  without  distinctly  specifying  the  events  in  it.  Judah 
has  repeated  strokes  of  judgment,  and  when  it  is  brought 
to  itselt  by  this  means,  God  shall  return  to  it,  and  execute 
judgments  upon  its  enemies.  This  is  filled  up  more  in  de- 
tail by  other  prophets.  Micah  dwells  exclusively  upon  the 
fortunes  of  God's  people,  their  punishment  for  unfaithful- 
ness, and  their  subsequent  blessedness.  Obadiah  and  Nahum 
individualize  the  work  of  judgment  upon  the  foes  of  God's 
people.  Obadiah  tells  of  the  fate  of  Edom,  the  hereditary 
foe  of  Judah.  Nahum,  toward  the  do&e  of  this  period, 
foretells  the  downfall  of  Nineveh.  Isaiah  goes  over  the 
ground  in  a  general  way  marked  out  by  Joel,  but  differs 
from  him  in  unfolding  in  their  details  what  Joel  gives  in 
general  outline,  while  at  the  same  time  he  goes  beyond  in 
the  fullness  of  the  blessings  of  God's  people.  Micah:  The 
judgments  against  the  foes  exceeds  Obadiah  and  Nahum. 
To  no  one  is  so  large  a  view  of  the  future  given  as  to 
Isaiah,  until  the  time  of  Daniel. 

Messianic  Predictions. — The  range  of  the  Messianic  pre- 
dictions of  the  Judean  prophets  is  also  extensive.  In 
Israel  it  was  negative.  Judah  does  this,  but  goes  far  be- 
yond this  position.  The  people  shall  not  ouly  return  to 
God  from  their  apostasy,  as  Amos  says,  but  they  shali  also 
be  purged.  All  their  foes  shall  themselves  be  humbled 
and  destroyed,  all  that  is  noxious  in  animal  creation — even 
death  itself.  No  foi*m  of  evil  shall  remain  to  the  people  of 
God.  The  prophets  of  Judah  are  not  confined  to  this  nega- 
tive view  of  the  case.  They  develop  the  positive  beauties  of 
the  period,  as  to  the  people  of  God  and  the  Gentiles. 

1.  The  people  of  God,  both  in  inward  character  and 
outward  condition,  shall  correspond  to  what  they  should  be. 
They  shall  be  holy  in  their  character,  and  have  the  Spirit 
of  God  poured  out  upon  them,  and  then  their  kingdom  of 
peace  shall  be  universal,  perpetually  prosperous,  and  shall 
sway  the  whole  word,  whose  resources  shall  flow  into  it, 
and  contribute  to  its  honor. 

2.  The  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  and  their  conversion  to 
God,  are  more  clearly  revealed  than  in  Israel.  It  was 
shadowed  forth  by  Jonah,  stated  limitedly  by  Amos,  but 
by  the  prophets  of  Judah  in  the  most  unambiguous  way. 

Person  of  Christ. — Besides  this  general  development  of 
the  characteristics  of  the  Messianic  period  as  respects  the 


62 

people  of  God  and  the  Gentiles,  the  Jndean  prophets  bring 
into  view  the  Person  of  the  Messiah  as  was  not  done  by 
the  prophets  of  Israel.  The  prophets  of  Israel  predicted 
the  family  of  David,  and  its  rise  again,  but  do  not  view  the 
Person  of  Christ.  The  prophets  of  Judah  say  he  shall  ap- 
pear during  a  time  of  oppression,  and  shall  spring  from  the 
house  of  David,  born  in  Bethlehem,  the  son  of  a  virgin. 
He  shall  honor  Galilee,  be  rejected  by  the  Jews,  but  ac- 
cepted by  the  Gentiles.  By  his  death,  he  shall  be  brought 
into  glory,  and  establish  a  kingdom  of  righteousness. 
Obadiah  and  Nahum  simply  refer  to  the  Messianic  period, 
the  former  explicitly,  the  latter  implicitly.  They  simply 
refer  to  it  in  its  negative  phase,  as  to  its  deliverance  from 
and  judgments  upon  the  foes  ot  God's  people.  Isaiah  and 
Micah,  between  whom  there  is  a  close  connection,  speak  of 
the  Person  of  the  Messiah,  of  his  birth  in  Bethlehem,  of 
hi3  deity,  and  of  his  kingly  office  as  Messiah.  Isaiah  alone 
gives  the  birth  from  the  virgin,  the  sufferings  and  vicarious 
death.  The  blessings  are  nowhere  set  forth  so  well  and  so 
gloriously  as  in  Isaiah. 

Divisions. — This  prophetic  period,  though  strictly  a  unit, 
may  be  divided  into  two  portions  :  (a)  Outward  prosperity 
under  the  vigorous  reign  of  the  pious  Uzziah,  and  before 
the  Assyrians  had  come,  (b)  Trial  under  Ahaz  and  Heze- 
kiah.  This  is  after  the  invasion  by  Syria  and  Ephraim,  and 
when  the  Syrians  present  a  threatening  aspect.  To  the 
first,  belong  Joel,  Obadiah,  and  the  first  six  chapters  of 
Isaiah.  The  prophets  endeavor  to  break  the  proud  spirit 
of  the  people,  which  prosperity  had  engendered,  by  setting 
forth  the  coming  trials.  To  the  second,  belong  Micah, 
Nahum,  and  considerable  of  the  remainder  of  Isaiah. 
Here  the  downfall  of  Nineveh,  and  the  Messiah  as  defender 
and  king  of  his  people,  are  displayed.  Isaiah's  ministry 
extends  not  only  through  both  portions  of  this  period,  but 
goes  beyond  the  downfall  of  Sennacherib,  and  proposes  the 
way  for  the  next  period.  These  prophets  of  Judah  in  the 
Assyrian  period  may  be  compared  in  minor  points  : 

Personal  and  Family  Relations. — Mention  is  made  of  the 
fathers  of  Joel  and  Isaiah;  the  residences  of  Micah  and 
Nahum  are  given  ;  but  of  Obadiah,  only  the  name.  This 
is  all  we  have  of  their  personal  history,  except  a  few  scraps 
of  Isaiah's.     Probably  all  except  Nahum  belonged  to  Judah. 

Duration  of  Ministry. — Isaiah  under  four  kings;  Micah 
under  three  kings.  The  ministries  of  Joel,  Obadiah,  and 
Nahum  were  probably  brief. 


63 

Structure  of  the  Books. — Isaiah  in  successive  portions, 
which  are  kept  distinct;  Micah,  a  general  summary  of  the 
revelations  made  to  him,  without  distinction  of  date.  The 
other  prophets  have  done  the  same,  unless,  as  seems  to  be 
the  case  with  Obadiah  and  Nahum,  they  have  given  us 
only  a  single  discourse. 


JOEL. 

From  1  :  9,  13,  14,  some  infer  that  he  was  of  Levitical 
descent.     There  is  no  warrant  for  this. 

Date  of  his  ministry  is  shown  by  his  position  between 
Hosea  and  Amos.  He  must,  therefore,  have  been  of  the 
time  of  Uzziah,  and  during  the  part  when  Jeroboam,  king 
of  Israel,  was  yet  living.  For  Hosea's  ministry  began  in 
that  part  of  Uzziah's  reign  when  Jeroboam  was  living  and 
the  ministry  of  Amos  was  begun  and  finished  during  same 
period.  So  anj'thing  between  these  ministries  must  also 
have  been  in  that  same  period.  Some  put  him  at  a  still 
earlier  date,  as  far  back  as  Joash.  The  enemies  given  as 
enemies  of  Judah  can  all  be  shown  to  have  been  enemies 
in  the  time  of  Joash.  This  proves  nothing,  because  the 
powers  mentioned  were  hereditary  foes,  and  ready  for  war 
at  an}7  time.  Amos  denounces  the  same  nations,  and  ac- 
cuses them  of  the  same  crimes.  Others  place  Joel  at  a 
later  date  than  Hezekiah.  This  is  claimed  from  3:  2,  but 
the  "Israel  "  mentioned  there  means  both  branches  of  the 
covenant  people,  and  their  captivity  is  future,  and  not 
spoken  of  as  past.  Further,  Joel  must  have  preceded 
Amos,  since  A.  begins  with  words  with  which  J.  closes  and 
the  way  in  which  they  appear  in  the  two  books  shows  that 
A.  is  one  who  quotes.  But  A.  finished  his  ministry  before 
that  captivity,  so  J's  could  not  have  been  after  it. 

There  are  two  parts,  of  36  vs.  each  :  a  1:2;  2:17,  the 
judgment  and  exhortation  to  repentance,  b  2 :  18  ;  3  : 
21,  the  blessing,  a  is  a  description  of  unexampled  distress 
and  scourge  of  devouring  insects.  Is  it  allegorical  or  real  ? 
Whichever  thev  were,  they  were  symbolical  of  the  punish- 
ment to  Judah  by  invading  enemies.  Some  say  there  is 
an  allusion  to  the  four  great  powers  of  the  ancient  world, 
by  which  the  people  of  God  were   successively  assailed,     b 


64 

Id  the  second,  we  pass  from  judgment  to  mercy,  (a)  Re- 
moval of  scourge.  (2  :  18-20.)  (b)  Bestowment  of  all 
spiritual  gifts.  (2  :  21-32.)  (c)  Utter  destruction  of  all 
foes.     Ch.  3. 

The  first  part  is  a  description  of  unparalleled  distress 
by  a  swarm  of  insects.  There  are  different  views  as  to  what 
kind  of  insects  is  intended,  four  terms  being  employed, 
(a)  They  denote  four  kinds  of  locusts;  (b)  DifFerentspecies 
of  the  same  kind ;  (c)  The  same  insect  in  successive  stages 
of  its  growth.  Credner:  "  Gazam  is  the  migratory  locust, 
which  visits  Palestine  chiefly  in  the  autumn,  'arbeh,  the 
young  brood,  yeleq,  the  young  locust  in  the  last  stage  of  its 
transformation,  or  before  changing  its  skin  for  the  fourth 
time,  and  chasil,  the  perfect  locust  after  this  last  change,  so 
that,  as  the  brood  sprang  from  the  the  gazam,  chasil  would 
be  equivalent  to  gazam."  (See  Keil,  "  Minor  Prophets," 
Joel  1  :  1-4.)  Palestine  was  first  visited  by  the  locusts 
in  the  autumn,  full  grown  ;  this  swarm  laid  its  eggs  and 
perished  in  the  Red  Sea.  The  combined  heat  and  drought 
favored  the  hatching  of  the  eggs  in  the  spring.  Then  de- 
scribes a  running  or  climbing.  They  have  to  cast  the  skin 
four  times  before  they  come  out  perfect.  Objections  to 
this  view  :  (a)  It  requires  an  interpolation  of  the  laying  the 
eggs,  and  hatching,  and  requires  a  different  subject,  (b) 
While  assuming  distinct  significance  for  three,  four  is  a 
species.  This  theory  has  been  modified.  But  the  only 
proof  that  there  would  then  be  successive  stages,  is  that  in 
verse  4  they  occur  in  a  particular  order  ;  but  in  2  :  25,  they 
occur  iu  another  order.  'Arbeh  is  not  so  used  elsewhere, 
but  is  the  usual  term  for  locust.  Yeleq  can  not  have  this 
meaning,  because  Nab. urn  3:  6,  makes  it  mean  "full- 
grown."  In  Ps.  105  :  34,  'arbeh  and  yeleq  are  synonymous; 
so  also  'arbeh  and  chasil  in  Ps.  78  :  46.  Chasil,  Deut.  28  : 
38,  expresses  the  act,  of  devouring.  On  the  whole,  it  is 
best  to  consider  them  as  poetie  equivalents  of  the  same 
thing.  The  terms  used  really  mean  "gnawer,"  "  swarmer," 
"  feeder,"  "  devourer." 

Do  they  mean  actual  locusts,  or  are  they  symbolic? 
Doubtless  the  latter,  because  :  1.  They  are  a  natural  figure 
for  hostile  invaders  ;  cf.  Rev.  9  :  3-11,  and  often  in  SS.  2. 
It  is  represented  as  a  judgment  of  unparalleled  severity, 
and  to  be  the  last  before  the  Messianic  blessing  shall  come. 
This  would  be  exaggerated  if  actual  locusts  were  meant. 
Cf.  2 :  2,  the  darkness  was  to  be  before  them,  not  by  them, 


65 

the  Lord's  hosts.  3.  Their  ravages  are  not  past  nor  pres- 
ent— as  they  must  be  on  the  literal  hypothesis,  for  it  is  im- 
possible to  suppose  the  prophet  would  spend  so  much  space 
in  predicting  a  mere  swarm  of  locusts, — but  future.  In 
3  :  15,  preterites  are  used  and  yet  refer  to  the  future,  and 
in  1 :  15,  "  the  day  of  the  Lord  "  is  identified  with  locusts. 
4.  The  connection  of  the  prophecy  demands  an  allegorical 
hypothesis.  The  heathen  are  denounced  for  crimes  not  yet 
committed.  This  can  only  relate  to  the  crime  predicted  in 
3:  7.  In  consequence  of  final  judgment  on  the  heathen, 
strangers  shall  pass  through  Jerusalem  no  more,  etc.  5. 
The  attributes  of  the  locusts,  and  the  terms  used  of  them, 
belong  to  a  nation,  as  goy,  1  :  6,  and  am,  2  :  2.  The  latter 
is  twice  used  of  ants,  but  never  the  former.  They  are 
called  "  northern,"  2  :  29  ;  but  locusts  come  from  the  south, 
and  invasions  from  Babylon  from  the  north.  The  reason 
assigned  for  destruction  is  that  they  have  done  great  things 
and  will  be  punished.  Thev  shall  perish  in  two  seas  at 
once,  2:  20,  and  so  mere  foes  on  all  sides.  2  :  17,  priests 
are  to  pray  God  for  deliverance,  that  the  heathen  should 
not  rule  over  them,  which  is  not  because  they  are  so  re- 
duced as  to  be  a  prey  to  the  heathen,  nor  that  they  should 
become  a  byword  among  them.  2 :  25,  speaks  of  the 
years  the  locusts  have  eaten.  2  :  4,  5,  they  are  like  horses 
and  chariots,  which  shows  their  true  meaning.  In  1 :  19, 
20,  the  figure  is  changed  to  that  of  fire,  which  shows  it  to 
be  but  a  figure.  Literalists  sa}-  it  refers  to  a  drought,  but 
it  is  not  said  there  would  be  one.  6.  The  allegorical  view 
is  the  oldest,  and  has  also  been  most  prevalent.  Targum 
substitutes  names  of  people  for  locusts.  Rufinus  is  the 
only  Latin  father  holding  the  literal  view.  Some  Jews 
hold  literal  view.  Bochart  finds  literal  interpretation 
among  Christians,  followed  by  rationalists.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary that  all  the  names,  1 :  12,  should  have  separate  signifi- 
cation. It  is  a  question  whether  the  four  different  names 
of  locusts  have  different  significations.  Ephrsem  Syrus  re- 
fers them  to  different  invaders.  Jerome,  Cyril,  and  Heugs- 
tenberg  refer  them  to  the  four  world  kingdoms  of  Daniel, 
which  should  oppress  Israel.  Nothing  is  certain,  except 
that  these  are  curious  coincidences.  Ch.  1  has  descriptions 
of  judgment;  ch.  2  has  the  same  theme,  but  under  differ- 
ent aspects,  agents  are  different,  described  in  vs.  10,  11,  12, 
etc.;  then  in  v.  18  the  tone  changes  to  that  of  promise. 
These  promises  are  of:  1.  Removal  of  the  scourge,  and 
restoration  of  all  that  had  been  lost,  2:  18-27;  2.  Bestow- 


66 

raent  of  spiritual   gifts,  2  :  28-32  :  3.  Destruction  of  foes, 
ch.  3.    In  2  :  23  occurs  in  the  English  version  an  incorrect 
translation.     The  correct  meaning  is  "  teacher  of  righteous- 
ness." Thisincludes  all  whom  God  commissioned  toinstruct 
the  people,  and  indues  the  prophet,  and  the  greatest  teacher 
of  all,  the  Messiah.     "Teacher"   is  used  generically.     In 
consequence  of  the  people  being  thus  led  to  righteousness, 
God  would  give  them  abundant  rains  in  the  first  "  month,'" 
as  in  the  A.  V.,  but  it  should  be  in  the  first  "  place."     We 
observe,   1.  This  has   the  sanction  of  all  the  versions.     2. 
The  usage  of  the  word  moreh  is   not  rain,  but  teacher,  in 
every  other   passage.     In   Ps.  84 :  7,  the  meaning  is   dis- 
puted.    3.  Expression  "  to  righteousness"  favors  teacher. 
If  it  means   rain,  it   must   mean   that  which  is  suitable,  a 
sense  it  never   lias   elsewhere.     In   A.   V.,  "  moderately  " 
should   be  "  to    righteousness."      4.  Translation    "  former 
rain  "  would  introduce  a  tautology,  for  next  clause  has  the 
same.     He  pours  out  upon  them  a  spiritual  blessing.     This 
shall  be  upon  all  flesh,  i.  e.,  not  only  upon  all  mankind, 
without  national  distinction,  but  also  upon  all    classes  of 
men,   irrespective   of  age,   rank    or    sex.     In   Acts  2 :   16, 
Peter  tells  us  the  fulfillment  of  the   prophecy  had  begun 
then,  and  also  the  marvelous  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  was 
not  a  final  completion  of  the   prophecy  but  only  a  begin- 
ning.    There  were  to  be  signal  judgments  upon  the  ene- 
mies of  God;  there  were  to  be  premonitory  wonders,  2  : 
30,  31.     In  ch.  3,  we  have  an   account  of  the  judgment  it- 
self.    This  chapter  is  figurative,  but  in  substance  it  has  met 
repeated  fulfillment,  as  one  after  another  of  the  enemies  of 
God  has  been  destroyed,  and  it  shall    finally  be  fulfilled 
completely  in  the  universal  judgment  of  the  world  to  come. 
In  3 :  2,  the  scene  of  judgment  is  laid  in  the  valley  of  Je- 
hoshaphat,  which  is  supposed  to  be  the  same  referred  to  in 
2~Cnron.   20:  26.     Others   suppose   from  3:  16    that    the 
valley  nearest  the  temple  must  be  meant,  so  a  Jewish  lite- 
ralism  expects  the   final  judgment  there.      Jehoshaphat, 
Jehovah  judged,  hence,  "  valley  of  God's  judgment."     3: 
1-8,  charges  against  the  heathen  ;  all  nations  are    repre- 
sented as  leagued  against  the  Lord,  and  are  destroyed  by 
Him.     3  :  9-15,  all  people  are  called  to  come  and  witness 
and  assist  in  this  affliction.     3  :  17-21,  the   blessed  results: 
His  people  are  to  be  preserved.     The  type  of  the  abund- 
ance is  expressed  in  3  :  18,  even  the  most  desolate  places 
shall   be  blessed.     Egypt  and  Edom  are  types  of  the  foes 
of  Israel,  and  they  shall  be  destroyed. 


67 
OBADIAH. 

Shortest  of  all  0.  T.  books.  Not  a  fragment.  Name  borne 
by  others,  ministry  in  Judah,  of  author's  life,  duration  of 
ministry,  nothing  known.  Date  of  ministry  inferred  from 
position  in  Minor  Prophets.  Comes  after  Amos,  whose 
ministry  was  in  the  first  part  of  Uzziah's  reign,  aud  before 
Jonah,  whose  ministry  was  ended  before  the  close  of  Jo- 
tham's  reign.  So  O's  ministry  must  have  been  in  latter 
part  of  Uzziah's  reign  or  in  first  part  of  Jotham's.  Some 
place  it  as  early  as  reign  of  Joram.  Others  as  late  as  in 
or  after  the  Bab.  exile.  First  view  as  to  date  confirmed  (a) 
perhaps  by  ver.  20,  (6)  indefinite  allusion  to  Chaldeans,  ver. 
11.  (<?.)  Denunciations  of  Edom  in  same  period  by  Joel, 
Amos,  Isaiah.  Three  parts  :  vs.  1-9  the  desolation  to  which 
Edom  was  doomed,  vs.  10-16  reason  of  it,  his  unbrotherly 
treatment  of  Judah,  vs.  17-21  contrasted  restoration  aud 
enlargment  of  Israel.  Predictions.  1.  Capture  of  Jerusa- 
lem vs.  11-14.  2.  Hostility  then  shown  by  Edom,  comp. 
Ps.  137:  7;  Ezek.  35:5.  3.  Overthrow  of  Edom  (a)  by 
the  nations,  ver.  1  fulfilled  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  comp.  Mai. 
1  :  3,  4 ;  (b)  by  the  house  of  Jacob  restored  to  their  ancient 
seats,  ver.  18.  4.  Day  of  the  Lord  upon  all  nations,  vs. 
15,  16,  fulfilled  successively  and  simultaneously.  5.  Res- 
toration of  Israel,  vs.  17-21.  Saviour's  human  champions 
and  the  Messiah.  Correspondence  with  preceding  and  suc- 
ceeding prophets,  Jeremiah,  ch.  49  ;  not  (a)  independently 
suggested  to  both,  nor  (6)  servile  imitation,  but  (c)  indica- 
tion of  oneness,  (d)  mutual  sanction,  (e)  call  attention  to 
what  is  about  to  pass  into  accomplishment.  Incidental 
evidence  of  genuineness  and  canonicity  of  earlier  Scrip- 
tures. Critical  extremes,  (a)  pedantic  minuteness  and  base- 
less conclusions  ;  (b)  alterations  of  text  to  restore  an  im- 
aginary conformity. 


ISAIAH. 
PRELIMINARY  CHAPS.  I.-VI. 

This  prophet  is  called  the  "  prince  of  prophets."  His 
writings  are  the  largest  and  clearest  as  to  the  work  of  the 
Messiah.  Singular  fitness  in  his  name.  "  Isaiah  "  means 
"  salvation  of  Jehovah,"  and  such  was  his  message.     Ac- 


68 

cording  to  Is.  1:1,  he  was  the  son  of  Amoz,  of  whom 
nothing  is  known.  He  lived  in  Jerusalem,  the  "  middle 
city,"  2  Kings  20  :  4.  He  was  married,  and  had  at  least 
two  children,  7:3;  8  :  3,  8.  The  name  of  one,  Shear-jas- 
hub,  signifies  mercy  to  Judah  after  the  first  coming  judg- 
ment. The  name  of  the  other,  Maher-shalal-hash-baz,  sig- 
nifying speedy  ruin  to  Syria.  Some  suppose  a  third  son, 
7:  14,  Immanuel,  but  the  child  thus  spoken  of  is  the  Mes- 
siah. There  is  no  evidence  that  his  wife  was  inspired; 
8  :  3,  called  prophetess  simply  from  her  relation  to  Isaiah. 

Leading  Events. — 1.  Confronting  Ahaz,  ch.  7.  2.  En- 
couraging Hezekiah,  ch.  37.  3.  Healing  of  Hezekiah, 
37-39  chs.,  and  reproof  of  his  vain  display.  Ch.  38  :  21  is 
quoted  in  favor  of  his  medical  skill,  but  this  is  given  only 
in  virtue  of  his  prophetic  office. 

Duration  of  Ministry. — During  the  reigns  of  Uzziah,  Hez- 
ekiah, Ahaz,  Jotham.  Not  during  their  entire  reigns  which 
would  be  113  years.  The  earliest  date  in  the  book,  6  :  1, 
the  year  Uzziah  died  ;  latest  date,  36  :  1.  Between  these 
46  years  is  the  shortest  period  that  can  be  allowed.  Prob- 
ably his  ministry  extended  some  time  beyond  this.  Some 
say  until  the  time  of  Manasseh,  because  (a)  Jewish  tradi- 
tion says  that  surviving  Hezekiah,  he  was  sawn  asunder  by 
Manasseh.  Some  refer  to  Heb.  11 :  37.  (6)  Refers  the 
rest  (2  Cbron.  32:  32),  of  the  acts  of  Hezekiah  to  a  writing 
of  Isaiah,  and  this,  they  say,  implies  Isaiah  survived  Heze- 
kiah. (c)  A  record  of  Sennacherib's  death,  Is.  37  :  38.  (d) 
Not  forbidden  by  Isaiah  1:1;  cf.  Jeremiah  1:  3,  Dan.  1:  21. 

Structure  of  the  Book. — I.  Utterly  confused,  jumbled  to- 
gether, disorderly,  and  some  seek  to  bring  them  into  an 
order  which  mangles  the  book. 

II.  Partial  and  orderly  collections,  receiving  accidental 
accretions,  and  ultimately  blended.  This,  too,  is  arbitrary, 
based  on  an  assumption  ot  disagreements  in  the  book,  and 
on  that  of  the  collection  of  these  parts  by  another  than  the 
prophet  himself. 

III.  Chronologically  arranged  as  delivered.  In  favor  of 
this  it  is  urged  that  all  the  dates  which  do  occur  in  the 
book  are  in  chronological  order.  The  two  cases  in  which 
a  departure  is  assumed  are  chs.  1  and  6.  Chapter  6,  de- 
scribes, it  is  affirmed,  the  inauguration  of  the  prophet  into 
office.  If  this  be  correct,  then  ch.  6  is  the  first  of  all  chro- 
nologically. They  assume  that  Isaiah  having  put  together 
his  prophecies  uttered  in  the  reigns  of  Uzziah  and  Jotham, 


69 

appended  to  them  his  original  commission  in  order  to  show 
them  that  the  denunciations  which  he  had  uttered  were  in 
strict  accordance  with  the  divine  command.  But  in  ch.  6 
the  prophet  describes  not  his  original  commission,  but  a 
special  dedication  for  a  new  and  specific  work.  Ch.  1,  all 
suppose  to  be  out  of  its  original  place.  Not  a  discourse  in 
the  outset  of  his  ministry,  but  the  last  of  all,  and  not  pre- 
pared until  the  whole  was  written.  It  is  supposed  that 
this  chapter  is  the  introduction  prepared  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  whole.  The  decision  of  the  question  rests  mainly  on 
the  interpretation  of  vs.  7-9,  whether  the  preterite  is  his- 
torical or  prophetical.  The  latter  indicates  a  future  event 
spoken  of  as  having  alread}^  occurred.  The  country  was 
not  ravaged  to  the  extent  there  mentioned  until  the  time  of 
Hezekiah.     In  general,  then,  the  order  is  chronological. 

IV.  Others  insist  on  a  topical  arrangement,  prophe- 
cies relating  to  the  same  theme  being  classed  together. 
Vitringa,  as  follows:  (a)  chs.  1-12,  prophecies  relating  to 
Judah  and  Ephraim,  from  the  earlier  part  of  his  ministry, 
(b)  13-23,  Relating  to  other  nations,  (c)  24-35,  Punish- 
ment of  Jews  and  enemies  of  the  church.  (d)  36-39,  His- 
torical, (e)  40-66,  Person  and  reign  of  Christ.  Gesenius 
divides  substantially  the  same,  but  joins  (d)  and  (e)  as  both 
relating  to  the  deliverance  from  the  exile. 

V.  A  better  view  is  to  combine  the  chronological  order 
and  topical. — A  record  of  his  ministry  in  its  leading  fea- 
tures as  they  were  successively  unfolded,  viz.  :  (a)  1-6,  Be- 
fore the  Syrian  invasion.  Exhibition  of  the  certainty  and 
necessity  of  the  coming  judgment.  The  prophecies  were 
delivered  to  an  outwardly  prosperous  people,  under  Heze- 
kiah and  Jotham.  Little  space  is  devoted  to  promises.  All 
that  are  given  relate  to  the  distant  future.  Messianic 
period  referred  to  brings  out  the  present  guilt  and  unfaith- 
fulness. Necessity  of  judgments  to  prepare  for  the  bless- 
ings of  the  future.  Person  of  the  Messiah  only  once  alluded 
to,  and  then  only  obscu'rely.  (b)  7-37,  Extending  to  the 
Assyrian  invasion.  Alternate  between  judgment  and 
mercy.  One  judgment  by  Syria  already  sent,  and  another 
by  Assyria  still  in  the  future.  Necessity  of  a  severer  judg- 
ment in  the  future.  The  person  of  the  Messiah  appears 
repeatedly  in  his  kingly  office.  He  is  a  pledge  of  his  people's 
preservation  and  deliverance  from  oppression,  (c)  38-66, 
Subsequent  to  the  Assyrian  invasion.  The  second  judg- 
ment by  Assyria  is  past,  but  another  more  fearful  one  is  yet 


70 

to  come,  which  shall  not  merely  threaten  the  destruction  of 
the  holy  city,  but  shall  actually  accomplish  it,  and  they 
shall  be  taken  away  from  their  land,  breaking  the  presump- 
tion of  sinners  over  Sennacherib's  destruction,  by  this  an- 
nouncement. He  yet  gives  comfort  to  the  pious,  who  were 
in  danger  of  despairing,  that  though  this  calamity  shall  be- 
fall them,  it  shall  come  to  an  end,  and  the  oppressor  shall 
be  overthrown.  Cyrus  named,  Israel  named.  Here  the 
Messiah  is  again  exhibited,  not  as  a  king  but  as  a  prophet, 
and  as  a  sufferer,  the  head  of  his  people,  and  identified  with 
them  in  the  accomplishment  of  that  which  shall  avail  for  the 
good  of  others,  but  suffering  for  himself.  The  last  section  is 
adapted  to  a  great  necessity  of  the  future,  hence  not  distinct 
discourses  as  the  preceding,  but  one  connected  compo- 
sition. 

There  is  unity  of  plan  in  the  whole  book. 

I.  The  denunciations  of  the  early  chapters  increase  in 
vehemence,  until  they  culminate  in  sentence  of  desolation, 
by  successive  judgments  pronounced  by  God  himself,  in 
the  vision  of  ch.  6.  This  is  the  germ  of  all  that  comes  after. 
The  prophet  is  informed  that  the  people  instead  of  being 
benefited  by  his  ministry  would  continue  in  sin  until  the 
land  should  be  desolated,  although  they  should  not  be 
finally  destroyed,  because  there  was  still  a  holy  seed  which 
should  be  preserved. 

II.  Ohs.  7-37.  Subdivided,  (a)  7-12,  (b)  13-27,  (c)  28-35, 
(d)  36-37.  (a)  Prophecies  occasioned  by  the  first  of  thepre- 
dicted  judgments,  the  invasion  by  Syria  and  Ephraim, 
promising  deliverance  from  this,  but  threatening*  a  sorer 
one  to  come,  (b)  Meaning  of  these  predicted  events  to  the 
world  at  large,  (c)  Occasioned  by  the  approach  of  the  sec- 
ond judgment,  the  Assyrian  invasion,  promising  its  mirac- 
ulous defeat,  (d)  Record  of  the  Assyrian  invasion  and  its 
overthrow. 

III.  Chs.  38-66.  (a)  Chs.  38,  39,  occasion  of  predicting 
the  third  judgment,  (b)  40-66,  comfort  in  view  of  this 
judgment  and  assurance  of  ultimate  deliverance.  This 
same  work,  of  judgments  upon  the  people  for  their  sins,  is 
spoken  of  in  general  terms  by  Obadiah  and  Joel.  They  said 
it  would  be  carried  to  the  extent  of  destroying  the  holy  city, 
but  by  what  steps  and  foes,  was  unknown,  until  Isaiah  re- 
vealed it.  No  prophet  of  this  or  any  other  period  is  ex- 
plicit except  Daniel. 

I.  Subdivided  into  ch.  1,  chs.  2-4,  ch.  5,  and  ch.  6.  Ch.  1, 
vs.  2-4,  charge  of  ingratitude  and  sin ;  vs.  5-9,  land  to  be 


71 

ravaged  in  consequence;  vs.  10-15,  observance  of  the 
ritual  could  not  save  them  ;  vs.  16-20,  sin  must  be  repented 
of  and  forsaken;  or,  vs.  21-81,  it  shall  be  wiped  out  by 
judgment.  Chs.  2-4;  (a)  2 :  2-4,  Zion's  glorious  destiny, 
as  the  seat  of  a  worship  which  shall  attract  and  bless  all 
nations;  (b)  2 :  5;  4:1,  present  failure  to  realize  this  des- 
tiny, which  is  due  to  their  sins,  and  shall  be  remedied  by 
judgments;  (c)  4:  2-6,  Zion  shall  be  thus  purged  of  evil,  and 
rise  to  her  true  blessedness  and  glory  ;  Branch  of  the  Lord 
and  fruit  of  the  earth  denotes  the  Messiah  ;  («)  the  Branch, 
Jer.  23  :  5  ;  33  :  15  ;  Zech.  3  :  8  ;  6:  12,  comp.  Isa.  11  :  1 ; 
(b)  ancient  and  common  explanation  ;  (c)  no  other  satisfac- 
tory. Ch.  5,  Parable  of  the  vine  and  its  application.  Ch.  6, 
The  vision,  commission  and  announcement. 

The  first  period  contains  four  distinct  prophecies.  In 
each  there  is  the  same  idea.  They  are  so  man}r  arguments 
for  the  necessity  of  judgment,  and  of  purification,  anterior 
to  the  Messiah's  coming.  In  the  second  discourse  it  is  put 
in  the  glorious  destiny  of  Zion,  and  the  seat  of  the  true 
religion.  In  the  third  discourse  the  same  truths  under  the 
emblem  of  a  vineyard,  carefullj'  attended  to,  and  yet  it  pro- 
duces wild  grapes.  In  consequence  of  this  the  wall  of  the 
vineyard  is  broken  down.  This  prepares  the  way  for  the 
last  discourse,  ch.  6,  in  which  these  denunciations  culminate 
in  a  sublime  vision.  The  Lord  appears  in  his  temple  with 
majesty,  and  pronounces  formal  sentence  on  his  people  — 
desolation  and  banishmeut,  but  not  of  entire  destruction. 
According  to  the  election  of  grace,  a  remnant  shall  be  pre- 
served.    There  is  a  holy  seed  to  remain. 

This  idea  which  is  here  brought  out  is  really  the  key- 
note of  the  book,  and  shows  reason  for  its  arrangement 
and  structure.  All  the  rest  is  built  upon  and  grouped 
around  successive  judgments.  The  future  has  thus  far 
been  set  forth  in  its  general  outline,  but  by  what  agents 
the  judgment  is  to  be  inflicted,  is  not  yet  declared.  This 
majestic  vision  of  ch.  6,  was  seen  in  the  year  king  Uzziah 
died,  ch.  6  :  1.  As  Uzziah  was  a  leper  during  the  latter 
years  of  his  reign,  Jotham  (2  Chron.  26  :  21)  was  then  act- 
ing monarch.  For  the  remainder  of  Jotham's  reigu,  we 
have  no  distinct  utterances.  Whether  the  prophet  was 
dumb  (Ezek.  33  :  22)  or  not,  cannot  be  determined,  if  new 
revelation  was  given  him.  The  king  had  from  his  throne 
pronounced  judgment,  and  the  prophet   holds   his  peace. 


72 


The  decree  heard  in  the  temple  enters  on  its  first  stage  in 
the  days  of  Ahaz.  Prophet  was  sent  with  message  which 
was  constantly  disregarded. 

II.  Chs.  7-37.  (a)  7-12.  Subdivision  of  chs.  7-12 : 
(1)  Ch.  7,  circumstances,  deliverance  from  this  invasion, 
but  a  severer  one  from  Assyria.  (2)  8:  1;  P:  7,  Both 
from  this  present  and  that  future  distress  Immanuel  is  a 
pledge  of  protection  to  them  that  fear  God.  (3)  9  :  8  ;  10  : 
4,  Ephraim,  the  foe  of  the  present,  shall  perish.  (4)  10  : 
5;  10:  34,  Assyria,  the  foe  of  the  future  shall  likewise 
perish.     (5)  Ch.  11  :  12,  Blessings  of  Immanuel's  reign. 

The  moment  Isaiah  met  Ahaz  was  a  critical  one  for 
Judah,  and  their  unbelief  was  the  immediate  cause  of  the 
evils  which  followed.  The  question  was  distinctly  proposed 
to  them,  whether  they  would  rely  on  God  for  assistance,  or 
on  Assyria.  The  unfortunate  king  of  the  people  chose  the 
fatal  consequences.  The  Assyrian  general,  Rabshakeh 
(36  :  2),  stood  on  the  conduit  of  the  upper  pool,  where 
Isaiah  met  Ahaz,  and  delivered  his  insulting  message.  The 
direful  vision  of  the  first  chapter  is  here  given.  In  his  dis- 
course to  the  king,  Isaiah  (7  ch.)  had  sketched  dark  visions 
of  Assyrian  invasion,  and  no  relief.  Severe  chastisement 
of  sins,  followed  by  the  overthrow  of  foes.  Such  is  the 
future  of  the  people  of  God.  When  Isaiah  met  Ahaz,  he 
delivered  the  message,  7:  7-9.  The  sign  given  was  the 
virgin's  child,  comp.  Ex.  3  :  11,  12,  time  of  deliverance  in- 
dicated, vs.  15,  16.  Almah,  a  virgin,  (a)  etymology,  (b) 
usage,  (c)  cognate  languages,  (d)  LXX.  A  child  miracu- 
lously born,  (a)  Mat.  1:  22,  23,  (6)  solemnity  of  the  an- 
nouncement, (c)  the  name  and  8:  8-10,  (d)  9  :  6,7.  Not 
the  prophet's  child,  (a)  mother  ?  virgin,  (b)  8:  1-4.  Three 
views,  (a)  Messianic,  (b)  non-Messianic,  (c)  double  sense. 
8  :  1 ;  9  :  7,  Maher-shalal-hash-baz,  deliverance  from  pres- 
sent  and  future  judgments  for  those  who  fear  God,  of 
which  Immanuel  is  the  pledge,  scens  of  his  ministry,  9  :  1, 
2,  its  consequences,  multiplication,  joy,  deliverance,  end  of 
war,  vs.,  3-5,  person  and  titles,  vs.  6,  7,  Jewish,  Rationa- 
listic and  Messianic  interpretations.  9:  8;  10:  4,  over- 
throw of  Ephraim  in  four  stanzas  with  like  ending.  10: 
5-34,  overthrow  of  Assyria,  Sennacherib's  march,  cut 
down  as  a  forest.  Chs.  11,  12,  in  contrast  Messiah  sprouts 
from  root  of  Jesse,  filled  with  the  Spirit,  restores  Paradise, 
gathers  the  Gentiles  and   remnant  of  Israel,  unites  Judah 


id 

and  Ephraim,  makes  them  victorious  over  all  foes.  Mes- 
sianic passages  :  7  :  14-16  ;  9  :  1-7.  Chs.  11,  12,  progres- 
sive climax. 

Chs.  18-27  (b)  ten  burdens  culminating  in  judgment  on 
the  whole  world,  followed  by  triumph  of  the  Lord's  people, 
two  naturally  corresponding  series,  twofold  design,  masah. 
(1.)  chs.  13-14  :  27,  Babylon,  the  obiect  of  two  burdens, 
here  first  connected  with  Judah's  exile,  to  be  overthrown 
by  the  Medes,  13:  17,  and  become  a  perpetual  desolation, 
vs.  19-22,  in  order  to  the  deliverance  of  the  chosen  people, 
who  sing  their  song  of  triumph  over  the  oppressor's  down- 
fall, 14:  1-23;  Assyria's  overthrow,  vs.  24,25.  (2.)  14: 
28-32,  Philistia  rejoicing  in  calamities  of  Judah,  threatened 
with  a  formidable  enemy  from  the  north,  by  whom  she 
shall  be  devastated  in  order  to  Zion's  more  complete  estab- 
lishment. (3.)  chs.  15,  16,  against  Moab.  (4.)  chs.  17, 18, 
Damascus,  (a)  17:  1-11,  denunciation  of  Syria,  passing 
over,  v.  3,  into  one  against  Ephraim  its  ally  in  assaulting 
Judah;  (b)  17:  12-14,  denounces  all  succeeding  invaders, 
however  numerous  and  powerful,  with  special  reference  to 
Sennacherib;  (c)  ch.  18,  his  fall  announced  to  Ethiopia  and 
other  distant  nations,  who  bring  offerings  to  God.  (5.) 
chs.  19,  20,  Egypt ;  (a)  19  :  1-7,  l'uin  under  image  of  drying 
the  Nile  ;  (b)  vs.  18-25,  mercy,  the  salvation  five  limes 
greater  than  the  destruction,  v.  18,  altar,  v.  19,  union  of 
Assyria  and  Egypt,  23,  and  of  both  with  Israel,  vs.  24,  26  ; 
(c)  ch.  20,  symbolical,  action  defining  time  of  fulfillment. 
(6.)  21 :  1-10,  Desert  of  the  sea,  i.  e.,  Babylon  ;  Elam  or 
Persia  joined  with  the  Medes  in  its  capture  in  a  night  of 
festivity.  (7.)  21:  11,  12,  Dumah,  silence,  i  e.,  Edom. 
(8.)  21  :  14-17,  Arabia.  (9.)  ch.  22,-  valley  of  vision,  i.  e. 
Jerusalem;  (a)  vs.  1-14,  denunciation  of  the  city;  (b)  vs. 
15-19,  degradation  and  exile  of  Shebna;  (c)  vs.  20-25,  ex- 
altation and  establishment  of  Eliakim.  (10.)  ch.  23,  Tyre 
to  be  overthrown  by  the  Chaldeans,  vs.  1-15,  but  to  revive 
after  seventy  years,  and  her  gain  to  be  consecrated  to  the 
Lord,  vs.  15-18.  Ch.  24,  General  judgment  of  the  whole 
world.     Chs.  25-27,  Judah's  triumph  and  blessedness. 

The  first  five  and  the  last  five  burdens  constitute  two 
series.  The  first  of  each  series  are  against  Babylon,  and 
the  rest  against  nations  subjugated  by  Assyria  and  Babylon, 
and  by  which  the  judgment  was  partially  fulfilled.  The 
second  and  third  in  each  are  against  minor  nations  near 
Palestine.     The  third  of  each  series  is  concluded  with  the 


74 

time  of  its  fulfillment,  "  in  the  years  of  an  hireling,"  mean 
"  years  exactly  measured."  The  object  of  the  fourth  of 
each  series  is  the  true  covenant  people.  Damascus  is  equiv- 
alent to  Israel  here,  because  they  are  associated  together. 
The  fifth  of  each  series  is  against  prominent  heathen  pow- 
ers, both  of  which  series  end  with  promises,  and  here,  too, 
dates  are  given,  but  with  reference  to  the  duration  and  re- 
moval of  judgments.  Twofold  design  of  these  burdens: 
first,  for  the  covenant  people  :  second,  for  the  nations  them- 
selves. All  the  nations  named  had  been  guilty  of  sins 
against  the  people  of  God,  and  it  is  so  taught  in  the  first 
six.  Humiliation  of  Egypt  is  to  remove  objects  (20 :  6)  of 
idolatrous  trust  from  covenant  people.  The  design  of  an- 
nouncement to  the  Gentiles,  is,  first,  that  the  judgment  of 
one  (18 :  7)  might  lead  others  to  trust  in  God  ;  and  secondly, 
the  nations  themselves  are  to  be  converted  to  God,  e.  g., 
Egypt  and  Tyre  ;  Assyria  is  mentioned  with  Egypt,  same 
purpose  toward  all.  These  individual  judgments  are  given 
as  parts  of  God's  general  judgment  of  the  world,  shown 
both  by  the  beginnings  and  ends  of  the  burdens.  Thus, 
13  :  6-13,  mentions  convulsions  of  nature  which  did  not 
happen  in  the  overthrow  of  Babylon,  but  they  are  put  here 
because  it  is  viewed  as  one  scene  in  God's  providential 
work  of  judgment,  as  in  Matt.  24  :  29;  and  in  14  :  26,  the 
character  of  the  judgment  is  stated,  "  upon  the  whole 
earth;"  and  in  the  24th  ch.,  the  judgments  terminate  upon 
the  world  at  large.  These  judgments  have  same  title 
affixed  to  each,  viz.:  "  burden."  This  word  explained,  1. 
derived  from  nasa — "  to  lift  up  the  voice."  Therefore  it 
means  solemn  utterance,  a  prophecy  irrespective  of  the  char- 
acter of  its  contents.  2.  From  same  root  in  sense  of  "  to 
lift  up  and  carry,"  hence  "  a  burden,"  i.  e.,  a  prophecy  of 
threatening  import.  Proof,  a.  universal  usage  of  word, 
being  used  with  prophecies  of  grievous  character.  b. 
agrees  better  with  radical  meaning  of  verb,  and  with  the 
ordinary  meaning  of  noun.  3.  Agrees  better  with  syntax, 
the  noun  stands,  in  construct,  before  name  of  that  which  is 
object  of  prophecy  e.  g.,  burden  of  Babylon — load  which  B. 
is  to  bear.  The  utterance  of  Babylon  would  not  convey 
the  idea  of  the  syntax.  The  fact  that  these  were  genuine 
prophecy  is  strengthened  by  the  use  of  such  enigmatical 
title,  which  would  not  have  been  used  by  a  forger.  In  the 
first  six  chapters  exile  of  Judah  is  predicted,  but  hitherto 
the  agent  has  not   been   named,  but  now  Assyria,  though 


75 

only  a  province,  is  here  declared  to  be  the  agent,  hence  it 
is  the  subject  of  two  distict  burdens.  In  the  13th  ch. 
Babvlon  is  to  be  overthrown  by  the  Medes,  and  this  in  14: 
1-2,  is  declared  to  be  for  the  deliverance  of  the  covenant 
people.  Hence  he  reverts  to  the  nearest  foe,  by  whom  the 
first  blow  is  to  be  struck.  Ch.  14  :  24,  25,  repeats  Syria's 
overthrow  for  the  comfort  of  the  people.  The  second  bur- 
den has  a  title  in  14:  28,  denunciation  against.  Palestine  in 
the  year  Abaz  died,  and  they  are  threatened  with  destruc- 
tion from  the  north.  In  the  fourth  burden,  which  begins 
against  Assyria,  and  then  proceeds  to  prophesy  against 
Ephaim,  since  it  and  Syria  were  to  be  devastated  by  As- 
syria. Then  he  passes  to  the  most  distant  powers  under 
the  name  of  Ethiopia,  who  are  exhorted  to  behold  how  God 
would  destroy  all  his  enemies.  The  fifth  is  again -t  Egypt. 
Five  cities  of  Egypt  are  to  embrace  the  true  religion,  to 
one  that  is  to  be  destroyed,  and  an  altar  is  to  be  erected  to 
the  Lord,  which  may  mean  that  Jerusalem  shall  no  longer 
be  the  only  place  of  sacrifice.  If  signifying  altar  of  wit- 
ness, it  simply  implies  conversion  of  Egypt.  Sixth  burden 
vs.  Desert  of  the  Sea.  This  Babylon  v.  9.  Sea — Euphra- 
tes. This  term  sometimes  applied  to  large  rivers,  especially 
such  as  overflow  their  banks.  Desert  is  a  reference  to  what 
it  is  to  become.  This  second  judgment  vs.  Babylon  goes 
beyond  previous  one  since  1.  Persia  is  added  to  Media  as 
an  instrument.  2.  The  capture  is  predicted  as  happening 
on  a  night  of  festivity.  Seventh  burden  vs.  Dennah. 
Evidently  means  Edom,  from  resemblance  to  name  Idumea. 
It  has  reference  to  condition  to  which  it  will  come,  i.  e., 
silence  and  destruction.  Eighth  burden  vs.  Arabia.  Ninth 
burden  vs.  the  valley  of  vision — Jerusalem  where  visions 
and  prophecies  were  given.  Thus  both  branches  of  Israel 
are  included  in  these  judgments,  ten  tribes  in  first  under 
Damascus :  Judah  in  second  under  valley  of  vision.  Reason 
for  judgment  vs.  Jerusalem  is  her  association  with  Edom. 
This  is  followed  by  prediction  concerning  two  individuals, 
a.  15-19  Shebna,  whose  degradation  and  exile  is  foretold 
as  leader  and  example  of  the  sinning  people,  b.  20-25 
Eliakin,  whose  exaltation  and  establishment  is  foretold  as 
type  of  faithful  remnant.  Tenth  burden  vs.  Tyre,  stating 
time  of  her  remaining  under  judgment,  with  promise  of 
restoration.  Ch.  24,  general  judgment  on  whole  world, 
resulting  in  triumph  of  God's  people  and  manifestation  of 
his  glory.  Chs.  25-27.  Judah's  triumph  and  God's  glory, 
an  advance. 


76 

(<?)  Chs.  28-35.  As  the  time  for  the  Assyrian  invasion 
came  on,  the  warnings  and  the  comforts  needed  to  be  re- 
peated. Ch.  28  :  1-6,  gives  the  overthrow  of  kingdom  of 
ten  tribes,  followed  in  rest  of  section  by  rebukes  and 
threatenings  of  Judah,  with  interjected  promises  of  As- 
syria's overthrow  and  Judah's  deliverance. 

(d)  Chs.  36,  37.  This  section  is  wound  up  by  these 
two  chapters  which  give  the  fact  of  the  invasion  by  As- 
syria. Isaiah's  prophecy  at  the  time,  and  the  miraculous 
deliverance. 

III.  (a)  Chs.  38,  39,  are  introductory.  They  give  the 
prophet's  ministry.  After  such  a  judgment,  and  such  a 
deliverance,  it  might  be  hoped  that  the  people  would  tnrn 
to  the  Lord.  But  it  is  not  so.  A  better  prince  than  Ahaz 
is  now  on  the  throne,  and  yet  Hezekiah  had  not  escaped 
the  taint  of  former  kings.  His  heart  was  lifted  up  with 
pride,  and  to  the  messengers  sent  to  him  by  the  king  of 
Babylon  with  messages  of  congratulation  that  he  had  re- 
covered, he  shows  the  treasures  of  the  Lord's  house.  This 
display  of  the  treasures  served  to  excite  the  cupidity  of  the 
king,  and  caused  him  to  take  them  away  from  Judah.  The 
people  are  not  allowed  to  gloat  over  the  defeat  of  Senna- 
cherib. As  far  as  this  was  allowed,  it  was  committed  to 
Nahum.  Isaiah  announces  the  Babylonish  captivity.  From 
this  time  he  devotes  himself  to  the  work  of  comfort;  not 
here  and  there  a  ray  of  comfort,  as  in  tne  preceding  part 
of  the  prophecy,  but  in  the  great  body  ot  what  follows. 
The  captivity  was  so  dreadful  that  some  great  thing  was 
needed  to  prevent  the  true  people  of  God  from  falling  into 
utter  despair.  So  Isaiah,  a  prophet  of  a  former  age,  pre- 
pared the  way  for  them.  It  is  for  a  like  reason  that  Daniel 
was  sent  to  tell  the  times  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  which 
were  to  come  long  after.  Isaiah  tells  of  God's  great  pur- 
pose respecting  his  people.  He  shows  the  occasion,  design 
and  issue  of  their  suffering.  Their  sufferings  (a)  arose  not 
from  God's  weakness  but  their  sins,  (l>)  were  designed  to  fit 
them  for  and  further  the  accomplishment  of  their  task,  (c) 
would  issue  in  the  blessedness  and  glory.  These  topics  are 
intermingled  in  the  chapter. 

(b)  Chs.  40-66.  Each  division,  of  nine  chapters  each,  is 
distinguished,  sometimes  by  a  particular  event,  without 
being  exclusively  occupied  by  it.  Babylon  and  Cyrus  are 
nowhere  else  named.     This  election  is  divided  into — 

(1.)  Chs.  40-48,  Deliverance  from  exile,  characteristic 


77 

chap.  45.  (2.)  Chs.  49-57,  Sufferings  and  triumph  of  Mes- 
siah, ch.  53.  (3.)  Chs.  58-66,  Future  glory  of  God's  peo- 
ple, ch.  60.  Shadowed  forth,  40:  2.  Mission  of  Covenant 
People,  includes  work  of  Messiah,  both  embraced  under 
name  Servant  of  the  Lord;  (a)  appropriateness  of  title;  (b) 
analogies  to  seed  of  Abraham,  the  prophet,  son  of  David, 
Christ  and  His  church  in  K  T.;  (e)  N.  T.— Acts  13:  47, 
comp.  Isa.  49  :  6;  2  Cor.  6:2;  comp.  Isa.  49 :  8  ;  also  Jer. 
11  :  19;  comp.  Isa.  53,  7  ;  (d)  applicability  to  all  the  pass- 
ages. Can  not  mean  Israel  to  the  exclusion  of  Messiah; 
(a)  called  Israel  49:  3,  but  distinguished  from  them,  42  :  6; 
49:  5,  6,  as  their  mediator  and  restorer;  (b)  his  atoning 
death,  ch.  53.  Nor  Isaiah  or  the  prophets  :  (a)  Mission  not 
to  Gentiles,  (b)  nor  sufferings  vicarious.  Nor  Cyrus.  Nor 
even  Messiah  exclusively,  for  he  is  charged  (42  :  9)  with  un- 
faithfulness and  sin. 

1.  Chs.  40-48.  Ch.  40,  Omnipotence  of  Him  who  offers 
deliverance,  voice  crying  in  wilderness,  v.  3.  Ch.  41,  con- 
trasted impotence  of  idols;  they  can  do  nothing,  but  God 
will  raise  up  Cyrus  and  redeem  His  people.  Ch.  42,  des- 
tiny of  God's  servant,  which  neither  God's  seeming  apathy, 
nor  his  own  character  and  condition  shall  obstruct.  Chs. 
43,  44,  God  will  certainly  befriend  His  people  in  spite  of 
idols  and  diviners.  Chs.  45-47,  Cyrus  predicted  by  name, 
the  humiliation  of  Baby. on  and  the  deliverance  of  God's 
captive  people. 

2.  Chs.  49-57.  Ch.  49,  Servant  of  Lord  complains  of 
want  of  success;  he  shall  accomplish  the  salvation,  not  of 
Israel  only,  but  of  the  ends  of  the  earth.  The  blessedness 
thence  resulting,  49  :  12;  66  :  8,  confirmed  by  former  bene- 
fits, viz.:  Multiplication  of  Abraham's  seed,  51  :  2,  deliver- 
ance from  Egypt,  v.  l>,  and  from  Assyria,  52  :  4,  and  twice 
interrupted  by  the  sufferings  of  the  Servant  of  the  Lord, 
50  :  6,  and  ch.  53.  Blessings  flowing  from  this  vicarious 
death,  ch.  54,  offered  freely  to  all  without  restriction,  ch. 
55,  expressly  extended  to  sons  of  strangers  and  those  cere- 
monially debarred  from  covenant  privileges,  56:  1-8;  the 
heavy  doom  of  apostates  and  sinners,  56  :  9  :  57  :  21, 

3.  Ch,s.  58-66.  The  wickedness  and  hypocrisy  of  the 
people  the  cause  of  their  suffering,  chs,  58,  59,  and  call  for 
divine  intervention,  59:  16,  both  for  mercy  and  vengeance, 
bringing  salvation  to  Ziou,  chs.  60-62,  and  judgment  on 
Edom,  the  type  of  her  foes,  63 :  1-6.  The  Servant  of  the 
Lord  for  the  last  time,   61 :  1-3 ;  comp.  Luke  4  :    18,  19. 


78 

The  prophet's  prayer  for  the  speedy  accomplishment  of 
these  things,  63  :  7 ;  64:  12.  The  Lord's  answer,  chs.  65, 
66,  the  wicked  shall  be  cut  off,  God's  true  servants  pre- 
served and  blessed,  new  heavens  and  new  earth,  paradise 
restored,  God's  people  brought  back,  Gentiles  made  priests, 
all  flesh  worship.  Extension  of  salvation  to  Gentile  fore- 
shadowed in  call  of  Abraham,  Gen.  12  :  3,  recognized  in 
Mosaic  period,  Num.  14  :  21,  and  by  Psalmists,  22 :  27,  28  ; 
72  :  8,  etc.;  and  taught  with  great  fullness  by  Isaiah;  this 
was  the  design  of  (a)  the  appointment  of  the  Servant  of  the 
Lord,  42:  1,  4,  6;  (b)  the  exaltation  to  be  bestowed  on  Is- 
rael, 2:  2-4;  60:  3;  (c)  the  judgments  on  the  heathen, 
whether  (a)  the  overthrow  of  an  empire  aspiring  to  be  uni- 
versal, 10:  34;  11:  9;  (b)  the  punishment  of  individual  na- 
tions resulting  in  the  conversion  of  others,  18  :  7,  or  their 
own,  chs.  19,  23,  or,  (c)  the  judgment  on  all  nations.  24: 
14,  15  ;  59  :  18,  19.  Represented  as  (a)  a  subjugation,  11 : 
14;  (b)  voluntary  accession,  2:  3;  11:  10;  (c)  rendering 
service,  14:  1,  2;  49  :  22,  23,  (d)  union  on  an  equal  footing, 
19  :  24  ;  56  :  6,  8  ;  66:  21,  (e)  substitution  in  place  of  the  re- 
jected sinners  of  Israel,  65:1,2.  Expressed  mostly  in 
O.  T.  forms;  coming  up  to  Zion,  offering  sacrifices,  etc., 
yet  occasional  intimations  of  their  temporary  character,  (a) 
physical  impossibility  literally  understood,  66  :  23  ;  (b)  un- 
essential nature  of  outward  forms,  1  :  11-15;  58:  2-7;  (c) 
removal  ofLevitical  restrictions,  19 :  19;  64:  4,  5. 


GENUINENESS  OF  ISAIAH. 

For  correspondence  of  Isaiah,  2  :  2-4,  and  Micah,  4  : 
1-3.  (Vide  Alexander's  Commentary.)  Also  of  the  four 
historical  chapters,  36-39,  and  2  Kings  18:  13  ;  20  :  19. 
The  burden  of  Moab.  chs.  15  and  16  (see  16  :  13,  14,)  in 
consequence  of  its  closing  verses  has  been  thought  to  be 
the  production  of  a  prophet  older  than  Isaiah,  and  simply 
re-affirmed  by  him.  It  is  more  probable  that  Isaiah  here 
repeated  an  earlier  prophecy  of  his  own.  This  prophecy  is 
not  in  form,  but  substantially  what  has  been  predicted  by 
prophets  before  him.  The  question  of  genuineness  is  very 
different  from  this.     Every  prophecy  from  the  beginning  to 


79 

the  close  of  the  book  which  implies  a  foresight  of  the  Baby- 
lonish exile,  is  said  to  be  spurious  on  the  ground  that  such 
foresight  is  contrary  to  nature,  e.g.,  two  burdens  of  Babylon, 
13  and  14  chs.,  21:  1-10,  and  the  comfort  (40-66  chs.)  given 
to  the  people  of  God. 

(1.)  Skeptics  from  a  disbelief  of  prophetic  foresight  have 
no  influence  with  those  who  are  Christians.  It  is  simply  a 
begging  of  the  question. 

(2.)  Objectors  have  not  a  pretext  on  any  external  ground. 
The  entire  book  claims  to  be  the  book  of  Isaiah.  So  as- 
serted in  Chron.  32:  32.  Alluded  to  in  Ecclesiasticus  48: 
22-25.  Of  the  21  times  in  which  Isaiah  is  mentioned  in  the 
IN".  T.,  11  are  from  this  section.  No.  MSS.  or  versions  leave 
them  out.  The  book  has  been  in  Jewish  custody  from  the 
earliest  times,  and  no  doubt  has  been  expressed  until  recent 
times.     They  must  have  guarded  it  carefully. 

(3.)  The  allegations  that  these  sections  differ  in  style 
from  the  other  parts  of  the  book  have  been  made  in  sub- 
serviency to  the  objections  already  named.  There  was  no 
discovery  of  difference  in  style  for  24  centuries,  and  it  was 
first  brought  forward  when  the  book  was  given  up  on  other 
grounds.  What  one  critic  condemns  as  inelegant,  another 
lauds  to  the  skies.  They  are  quite  at  variance  as  to  whether 
these  sections  differ  from  one  another.  They  all  agree  that 
they  differ  from  Isaiah's  style  in  other  places.  When  they 
undertake  to  point  to  specific  differences  in  style,  they 
bring  up  such  words  and  phrases  as  do  not  occur  in  other 
parts  of  the  book.  This  may  be  true  if  it  be  allowed  that 
nothing  is  to  be  accepted  which  is  found  in  one  book  of  a 
writer,  but  not  in  another.  As  far  as  there  is  any  differ- 
ence of  style  in  Isaiah,  it  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  dif- 
ference of  subject  and  occasion,  or  difference  of  purpose,  if 
it  be  admitted  that  the  last  seven  chapters  had  a  different 
purpose.  These  differences  of  style  are  the  variations  of 
style  of  a  writer  of  great  genius.  The  changes  are  due 
partly  to  advancing  years.  The  objection  of  the  existence 
of  words  and  phrases  which  indicate  a  later  time  than  that 
of  Isaiah,  is  established  by  most  uncertain  data.  Supposi- 
tious senses  are  laid  to  them.  Words  which  occur  in  no 
other  writings  of  that  time  are  said  to  belong  to  another 
period.  Sometimes  words  are  found  to  agree  with  prophets 
of  an  earlier  period,  and  these  are  rejected. 

(4.)  It  is  impossible  to  account  for  the  prophecies  in 
question  being  found  in  the  canon  if  they  were  not  his  own. 


80 

They  were  either  put  there  innocently,  or  by  fraud,  but  how 
a  writer  in  the  time  of  the  exile  could  succeed  in  passing 
one  of  his  writings  for  those  of  Isaiah,  which  were  at  the 
time  of  the  formation  of  the  canon  is  unimaginable,  and  the 
greater  the  number  of  writers  the  greater  the  complexity. 
How  these  chapters  could  have  been  innocently  put  into 
the  canon,  it  is  impossible  to  see.  How  writings  could  have 
appeared  in  the  time  of  Isaiah,  and  been  mistaken  for  his 
is  inconceivable.  This  difficulty  is  greatly  exaggerated  by 
the  number  of  spurious  passages.  If  these  passages  were 
taken  away  the  symmetry  of  the  book  would  be  exceed- 
ingly marred.  It  is  objected  to  the  two  burdens  of  Baby- 
lon, chs.  13,  14,  21 :  1-10,  that  the  exile  is  not  predicted, 
but  implied,  therefore  the  writer  must  have  lived  in  the 
midst  of  the  exile.  Answer. — The  prophets  often  speak  of 
future  events  as  if  they  were  present,  their  certainty  is  so 
great.  The  exile  had  been  alread}7  foretold  by  Isaiah,  ch. 
5.  It  had  been  foretold  by  Moses  in  Lev."  26.  Isaiah  in  ch. 
39  declares  who  the  agents  of  this  calamity  were  to  be.  He 
speaks  of  the  birth,  death  and  sufferings  of  the  Messiah  as 
past.  Are  we,  therefore,  to  conclude  that  these  portions 
were  written  after  the  death  of  Christ  ? 

Positive  Proofs  of  Genuineness. — (1.)  The  title  of  the  first 
of  these  burdens  (13  :  1)  expressly  alludes  to  Isaiah.  It  was 
put  there  by  the  prophet  himself,  for  (a)  the  title  was  neces- 
sary to  the  understanding  of  the  prophecy,  (b)  From  anal- 
ogy of  other  burdens,  (c)  Such  enigmatical  titles  would  not 
likely  have  come  from  a  forger.  (2.)  14  :  24-27,  The  con- 
cluding part  of  this  burden  is  admitted  to  belong  to  Isaiah. 
Critics  have  in  vain  attempted  to  find  a  place  for  this  pass- 
age in  other  portions  of  the  prophecy.  It  refers  to  Assyria, 
but  where  is  there  mention  of  Assyria  at  the  time  of  the 
exile,  when  Assyria  had  passed  away  long  before  ?  (3.)  21  : 
1-6,  By  the  general  structure  of  the  burdens,  and  from  the 
enigmatical  title,  introducing  the  figure  of  the  watchman. 
The  structure  of  these  burdens  is  like  all  the  others,  there- 
fore they  were  written  by  Isaiah.  (4.)  The  prophetic  fore- 
sight will  not  be  obviated  by  transferring  him  to  the  latest 
period  possible— exile.  Even  when  Cyrus  was  before  the 
walls  of  Babylon,  no  one  would  believe  he  could  overcome 
the  city. 

Objections  to  40-66. — (I.)  The  people  are  represented  as 
already  in  exile,  but  (a)  this  is  possible  far  less  frequently 
than  is  alleged.     Those  passages  which  refer  to  the  exile  or 


81 

return  are  few,  and  many  which  are  said  to  relate  to  it,  re- 
fer to  some  other  result ;  e.  g.,  "  highway  "  refers  to  God's 
preparation  for  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  ;  "  release  of 
prisoner  " — release  from  trouble,  "  pools  of  water  " — joy- 
ful changes  of  any  kind,  and  when  return  from  exile  is 
promised  it  is  a  return  from  all  quarters,  not  merely  from 
Babylon,  (6)  this  objection  is  inconsistent  with  the  fact  that 
the  prophet  urges  his  prediction  of  coming  events  in  proof 
of  God's  foreknowledge  and  superiority  over  idols.  41  : 
22-27 ;  43  :  9-12  ;  45  :  3  ;  46  :  9-11.  (c)  These  passages 
show  a  better  state  of  things  existing  before  the  exile. 
The  temple  was  still  standing,  66:  6-20;  58:  2-6;  43: 
24;  65:  11.  Idolatry  was  still  existing,  66  :  17;  65-  11; 
and  in  such  forms  as  more  probably  derived  from 
Egypt  than  from  Babylon.  The  people  are  courting 
alliance  with  foreign  monarchs ;  their  judgment  is  repre- 
sented as  future.  The  critics  explain  this  by  assum- 
ing the  record  of  these  facts  to  be  an  earlier  fragment. 
But  this  is  begging  the  question,  (d)  The  force  of  the 
objection  is  derived  from  confounding  the  ideal  with  the 
actual  present.  Such  is  the  assurance  of  the  prophet  that 
he  regards  these  events  as  actually  present.  That  these 
events  were  regarded  by  the  prophet  as  really  future  is 
seen  from  the  fact;  (1)  that  the  terms  are  too  broad  to  be 
confined  to  exile;  (2)  that  some  other  deliverance  than 
return  from  Babylonish  exile  is  referred  to.  For  the  evil 
from  which  the  deliverance  foreshadowed  and  the  glory 
which  followed  it  are'  different ;  (3)  specific  references  to 
Babylon  and  the  exile  are  singularly  few,  but  this  could 
hardly  be  the  case  if  the  writer  was  writing  during  the 
exile.  Admitted  that  the  specific  predictions  with  refer- 
ence to  Cyrus  are  remarkable,  yet  they  are  few  and  the 
whole  description  is  general.  If  they  were  uttered  before 
the  event,  there  is  prevision  whether  Isaiah  wrote  them  or 
not  ;  (4)  the  writer  transports  himself  to  various  points  of 
time;  e.  g.,  exile,  fall  of  Babylon,  time  of  Messiah,  time 
of  Israel's  glory.  But  confessed  not  written  after  the  latest 
point.     Therefore  prevision  is  involved. 

II.  The  predictions  are  plain  till  close  of  the  exile  but 
vague  thereafter,  which  shows  the  standpoint  of  the  writer. 
But  (1)  though  the  prediction  of  the  fact  of  the  exile  and 
its  end  are  sufficiently  clear  to  be  proof  of  the  divine  fore- 
knowledge, yet  the  expressions  are  mostly  general.  While 
on   the  other  hand,  what  is  predicted  of  Christ  and   his 


82 

work  is  more  specific  than  the  definite  predictions  referring 
to  the  exile.  (2)  This  apparent  change  of  style  is  to  be  ac- 
counted for  by  the  fact  that  prophecy  is  the  disclosure  of 
just  so  much  of  the  future  as  will  furnish  useful  lessons. 
But  in  this  latter  part  of  the  ministry  of  the  prophet,  the 
thing  most  necessary  was  to  prepare  the  people  for  the 
next  event  of  God's  judgment,  viz  :  their  actual  overthrow 
by  Babylon  and  ultimate  glory  of  Israel.  So  the  language 
with  reference  to  this  event  needs  to  be  plain  ;  (3)  in  so  far 
as  the  fact  alleged  is  true  it  rather  makes  against  the  critic. 
For  it  would  be  naturally  inferred  from  the  statements  of 
Cyrus  and  return  being  followed  immediately  by  Mes- 
sianic predictions,  that  Messianic  period  was  to  come  at 
once.  But  if  these  predictions  were  written  after  these 
events  such  an  idea  would  have  been  impossible,  for  the  poor 
realization  of  any  glory  in  the  return  would  give  the  idea 
that  Messianic  period  was  not  at  hand.  But  if  written  before 
these  events  it  involves  prevision.  If,  however,  written  by 
Isaiah  as  supernatural  predictions  the  juxtaposition  is  ac- 
counted for,  because  in  all  his  prophecies  Messiah  is  the 
background.  (4.)  Josephus,  (Aut.  XI.  1,  2,)  says  that  these 
predictions  were  shown  to  C}7rus  and  were  among  the 
things  that  induced  him  to  rescue  the  people  of  God,  which 
would  account  for  his  restoration  of  them.  This  corrobo- 
rated Ezra  1  :  2.  5.  The  argument  from  expressions  pecu- 
liar to  this  section  is  balanced  by  the  fact  that  there  are 
expressions  here,  which  are  found  in  acknowledged  parts 
of  the  book,  e.  g.,  Holy  One  of  Israel,  12  times  in  previous 
parts  :  14  times  here. 

III.  The  theme  is  one  which  could  have  had  no  interest 
to  Isaiah  or  his  contemporaries.  He  speaks  of  evils  which 
then  had  no  existence,  whereas  the  people  wanted  release 
from  present  evils  of  Syria  and  Assyria.  But  (1.)  We  hold 
that  this  is  a  question  that  is  to  be  decided  only  by  a  sur- 
vey of  his  writings,  with  relation  to  the  times  in  which  he 
lived  and  wrote.  Now,  at  the  opening  of  his  ministry, 
which  was  in  the  prosperous  times  of  Josiah,  he  declares 
future  judgments  which  he  afterwards  unfolds.  When  the 
first  blow,  (Syria)  came,  he  declared  its  failure  and  yet  an- 
nounced a  tar  more  formidable  blow  from  Assyria,  which 
however  would  not  be  successful.  As  neither  of  these  was 
to  accomplish  this  judgment,  it  was  natural  that  he  should 
show  by  whom  it  was  to  be  accomplished,  which  he  does 
by  declaring  the  overthrow  of  Babylon.     Yet  this  is  not  to 


be  complete.  Thus  we  see  (a)  that  in  these  acknowledged 
portions  of  the  book  the  prophet  speaks  of  a  distant  evil, 
when  another  one  was  present  before  the  people.  There- 
fore a  similar  method  can  not  be  made  an  argument  against 
the  genuineness  of  this  section,  (b)  That  all  these  predic- 
tions of  judgments  and  ultimate  deliverances,  are  but  de- 
velopment of  one  theme,  and  since  same  ideas  of  deliver- 
ance and  judgment  are  present  in  this  section,  the  pre- 
sumption is  that  it  is  the  following  out  of  the  same  theme. 
(2.)  On  the  contrary,  it  was  a  theme  of  intense  interest  to 
Israel,  since  it  concerned  their  national  existence  and  the 
accomplishment  of  God's  promise. 

IV.  The  theme  has  reference  to  an  event  too  remote  to 
have  affected  Israel.  (Captivity.)  But  (1.)  This  is  assum- 
ing that  the  critic  has  the  right  to  determine  the  time  over 
which  prophecy  is  to  range.  (2.)  Messianic  prophecies  of 
the  book  relate  to  an  event  much  further  removed  than  this. 
(3.)  On  the  h}~pothesis  that  these  are  the  real  declarations  of 
God,  the  propriety  of  their  relating  to  a  far  distant  event  is 
seen.  (4.)  We  must  remember  that,  while,  from  the  develop- 
ment of  history,  this  event  appears  far  removed  from  the 
time  of  the  prophet,  yet  its  date  was  not  known  to  prophet 
or  people  at  that  time.  As  far  as  they  knew  the  judgment 
was  imminent.  (5.)  This  argument  shows  the  inconsistency 
of  the  theory,  and  since  the  very  absence  of  remoteness  is 
urged  by  them  against  the  inspiration  of  the  book. 

PREDICTIONS    OF   OLD   TESTAMENT   AS   TO 
SUFFERINGS  OF  THE  MESSIAH. 

They  are  not  first  revealed  to  Isaiah,  but  are  really  made 
known  from  the  first  promise  in  the  garden.  Then  they 
are  brought  out  in  those  Psalms  which  refer  to  the  right- 
eous sufferer.  They  reach  their  fullest  development  in 
Isaiah.  Lowly  origin  ;  despised  of  men  ;  obstacles  to  his 
work;  personal  violence.  After  Isaiah  they  are  taken  up 
by  Daniel.  Cut  off  for  the  people  (9:  24-26.)  Then  by 
Zechariah.  Lowly  (9  :  9);  an  object  of  aversion  (11  :  8); 
sold  for  silver  (11  :  13);  smitten  by  a  sword  (13:  7).  Isaiah 
combines  the  various  methods  of  all  the  O.  T.  prophets. 
He  shows  results  viewed  a)  from  the  appointment  of  Israel 
and  M.  as  servant  of  Jehovah  ;  (b)  as  judgments  on  the 
heathen.  Either  judgments  on  individual  nations,  which 
would  bring  the  rest  to  acknowledge  God,  or  judgments 
on   all,  which  would  bring  them  all  to  God. 


84 

He  shows  the  relations  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  Jews  ; 
subjugation  (11  :  14),  voluntary  accession  (60  :  3),  a  render- 
ing of  service  (14  :  2),  union  on  a  level  (56:  6,  8),  substi- 
tution in  place  of  Israel  (65  :  1,  2).  Their  coming  is  mostly 
described  under  the  forms  of  the  ancient  ritual,  while  its 
spiritual  character  is  shown  by  coupling  it  with  physical 
impossibilities. 


NAHUM. 

Name.—"  A  comfort."  Called  "  the  Elkoshite."  Proba- 
bly not  a  patronymic,  but  a  local  designation — the  place 
where  he  was  born  or  lived.  But  Elkosh  is  nowhere 
mentioned  in  the  Bible.  Jerome  and  Eusebius, — a  small 
village  in  Galilee.  Some — same  as  Capernaum  (village  of 
Nairn  m).     Both  are  mere  conjectures. 

Date. — Nowhere  distinctly  stated.  1.  From  its  position 
among  minor  prophets  it  might  be  assigned  any  place  be- 
tween reigns  of  Hezekiah  and  Josiah.  2.  The  inferences 
made  rest  really  upon  the  interpretation  of  1 :  9-14.  Some 
say  this  refers  to  the  Captivity  of  Manasseh  by  king  of 
Assyria  and  infer  that  it  was  the  last  invasion  by  Assyria. 
But  (a)  it  merely  means  that  when  God  shall  judge  their 
oppressors  they  shall  be  overthrown,  not  necessarily  that 
they  shall  never  come  again,  (b)  It  is  scarcely  probable 
that  the  prophet  speaking  in  time  of  Manasseh,  would 
merely  refer  to  the  coming  deliverance  without  allusiou  to 
the  kings,  (c)  According  to  this  hypothesis  he  would  be 
the  only  prophet  in  the  reign  of  Manasseh,  which  reign, 
with  that  of  Amos,  is  regarded  as  without  prophecy,  merely 
separating  between  the  Assyrian  and  Chaldean  Periods. 

A  better  interpretation  refers  the  passage  to  the  invasion 
of  Seunacherib  in  the  reign  of  Hezekiah.  Proof: — (a) 
The  bonds  that  are  to  be  broken  are  not  those  of  an  indi- 
vidual (Manasseh)  but  of  Judah,  the  people,  (b)  The  cir- 
cumstances of  that  invasion  seem  to  be  specially  referred 
to.  e.g.  Evil  counsel  of  Rabshekah.  v.  11.  Sudden  over- 
throw of  Assyrians,  v.  12.  Murder  of  Sennacherib.  Then 
the  only  question  remains  as  to  whether  it  was  before  or 
after  the  first  invasion.  If  after,  then  the  preterites  are  his- 
torical; if  before,  they  are  prophetical. 


85 

Inferences  have  also  been  drawn  from  the  mention  of 
the  capture  of  No-Aramon,  (Thebes)  3  :  8-10.  But  the 
date  is  uncertain. 

Structuke. — Double  title.  1  :  1.  Subject,  the  burden 
of  Nineveh  :  author — the  book  of  the  vision  of  Nahum, 
the  Elkoshite.  Contents  divided  into  3  parts,  (a)  Ch.  1. 
God  coming  to  judgment:  the  object  being  Nineveh,  (b) 
ch.  2.  Overthrow  of  Nineveh  is  exhibited  to  the  prophet] 
Preliminary  of  the  siege,  v.  2,  3.  Assault,  4,  5.  Ineffectual 
defence,  6-8.  Sack,  9.  Resulting  desolation,  10-12. 
Pledge  of  Jehovah  for  its  fulfillment,  13.  (c)  Ch.  3.  Repe- 
tition of  the  same  subject  in  which  the  act  is  justified 
by  giving  reasons  for  it  in  form  of  charges  against  the  city. 
Crime  and  fraud,  v.  1-3.  Whoredoms  and  witchcrafts,  4- 
7.  i.  e.,  the  political  and  commercial  management  by  which 
Nineveh  reduced  nations  to  ruin.  Fate  of  No-Ammon  is 
told  as  typical  of  Nineveh's  downfall.  This  was  fulfilled 
in  the  taking  of  Nineveh  by  Cyaxeres  and  Nabo-Polassar, 
606  B.  C.  From  that  date  the  city  begau  to  decline.  The 
instrument  is  not  named,  only  described.  The  special  men- 
tion of  cavalry  corresponds  to  Media. 


CHALDEAN  PERIOD. 


Separated  from  preceding  period  by  the  ungodly  reigns 
of  Manasseh,  55  yrs.,  Amon,  2  yrs.,  and  the  people  under 
them  were  very  bad.  Manasseh  was  worse  than  any  king 
Israel  ever  had.  He  erected  altars  of  idolatry,  even  in  the 
temple,  and  he  filled  Jerusalem  with  innocent  blood,  2 
Kings  21  :  1-16  ;  2  Chron.  33  :  1-9.  Manasseh  repented 
and  reformed  at  the  close  of  his  reign,  but  with  so  little 
effect  upon  the  popular  corruption  that  the  author  of  Kings 
passes  it  over  in  silence. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  Josiah,  at  8  yrs.  of 
age,  came  to  the  throne,  At  12  yrs.  of  age,  he  began  to 
purge  the  land  of  idolatry.  At  18  yrs.  he  repaired  God's 
house,  and  abolished  idolatry.  After  81  yrs.  of  reign  he 
was  slain  at  Megiddo.  Four  kings  followed,  and  all  were 
wicked.  Of  these,  the  first  and  last  were  sous  of  Josiah 
by  different  mothers.     Jehoahaz,  3  mos.,  was  carried  to 


86 

Egypt,  and  died  there.  Jehoiakim,  11  yrs.  ;  he  was  placed 
over  the  kingdom  by  the  king  of  Egypt ;  he  exceeded  the 
others  in  wickedness.  In  the  fourth  year,  Nebuchadnezzar 
completed  his  preparation,  and  captured  Jerusalem,  Jer. 
46  :  2.  The  first  deportation  of  exiles  was  at  this  time, 
and  the  70  yrs.  captivity  must  be  reckoned  from  this  time. 
The  city  still  continued  for  some  years.  The  rebellion  of 
Jehoiachiu  (3  mos.)  called  for  anew  demonstration  on  the 
part  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  Zedekiah  was  a  weak  prince,  in 
fear  of  the  nobles  of  the  land.  He  did  not  protect  Jere- 
miah, or  obey  his  message.  His  reign  of  11  yrs.  terminated 
with  the  destruction  of  the  city. 

I.  This  period  is  distinguished  from  the  preceding  by 
the  greatly  increased  and  increasing  corruption.  Several 
signs  of  this:  (a)  The  character  of  the  kings  was  an  influ- 
ential cause  of  the  state  of  things.  In  the  former  period 
Ahaz  is  the  only  wicked  king;  in  this,  Josiah  is  the  only 
good  one.  And  even  in  his  time  the  idolatry  and  corrup- 
tion were  only  put  down  for  a  time.  When  this  was  past 
they  became  worse  than  ever,  (b)  Obduracy  in  the  face  of 
judgment.  In  the  former  period,  on  the  approach  of  the 
Assyrians,  Hezekiah  went  in  sackcloth,  and  in  prayer  to 
God.  But  now  Jehudi  (Jer.  36  :  23,  24)  cut  in  pieces  the 
roll  of  Jeremiah,  and  threw  it  into  the  fire.  Zedekiah  re- 
fused to  obey  the  prophets,  though  the  enemy  was  before 
the  city,  Jeremiah,  chs.  37,  38.  And  the  people  were  con- 
firmed in  evil,  Jer.  44:  17,  18.  (c)  Persecution  and  martyr- 
dom of  the  prophets  of  God.  The  former  prophets  com- 
plained that  the  people  had  not  obeyed  their  messages,  but 
there  was  no  violence  done  them.  Even  judgments  of  which 
they  were  forewarned  were  defied,  Is.  5  :  19 ;  Amos  5  :  18  ; 
7  :  12,  13.  Now  thev  are  the  subjects  of  everv  form  of 
abuse,  2  Chron.  36  :  16  ;  Jer.  26  :  20-23.  (d)  Prevalence  and 
influence  of  false  prophets.  The  existence  of  false  prophets 
was  intimated  in  the  previous  period,  but  now  they  appear 
with  an  influence  and  a  power  such  as  they  never  had  before. 
By  their  promises  the}7  break  the  force  of  the  messages  of 
the  true  prophets,  Jer.  28.  This  is  an  index  of  corruption, 
especially  of  the  noble  classes,  {e)  Presumptuous  trust  in 
covenant  privileges,  even  while  disregarding  the  conditions 
of  promise,  Jer.  7  :  4.  Even  the  captivity  of  the  ten  tribes 
instead  of  confirming  to  them  the  threats  and  warnings  of 
the  true  prophets,  bolstered  their  conceit,  because  the  fact 


87 

of  their  preservation  thus  far  proved  God's  special  favor. 
And  Josiah's  reformation  seems  only  to  have  made  them 
self-righteous. 

II.  Consequent  nearness  of  the  divine  judgment.  God's 
forbearance  had  reached  its  last  period.  The  Assyrians 
had  passed  oft"  the  scene.  The  Chaldeans  are  now  charged 
with  the  execution  of  this  sentence.  They  began  as  soon 
as  good  King  Josiah  died. 

Three  prophets  in  this  period  ;  Jeremiah,  Habakkuk 
and  Zephaniah.  These  occupy  an  unequal  amount  of  space. 
From  the  long  ministry  of  Jeremiah,  we  have  full  account 
of  his  work.  Prophecies  of  Habakkuk  and  Zephaniah  are 
brief,  as  their  ministries  were.  These  books  maybe  short, 
disconnected  portions,  or  summaries  of  their  prophecies.  Of 
their  persons  we  know  nothing.  The  condition  of  things 
in  Judah  at  this  time  was  the  same  as  that  of  Israel  before 
the  captivity,  which  called  for  the  denunciations.  There  is 
this  difference,  however  :  (1.)  The  kingdom  was  not  essen- 
tially criminal,  nor  utterly  apostate.  (2.)  It  still  retained 
the  body  of  God's  people.  (3.)  The  rejection,  therefor 9, 
was  not  to  be  so  great  nor  final.  The  kingdom  looked  at 
a  future  restoration,  hence  there  is  more  room  for  promises, 
direct  and  indirect,  positive  and  negative.  While,  there- 
fore, Jeremiah  is  like  Hosea,  and  Zephaniah  like  Amos, 
Habakkuk  proclaimed  the  overthrow  of  Babylon  is  in  con- 
trast with  Jonah.  Jeremiah  and  Zephaniah  are  mainly  de- 
nunciatory, with  few  promises.  And  so  are  most  of  the 
prophecies  of  this  period.  Habakkuk  is  chiefly  consolatory. 
Judgment  is  necessary  in  order  to  break  the  fatal  security 
of  the  people.  For  the  sake  of  the  people  ot  God,  in  view 
of  the  great  judgment,  it  was  important  that  the  design  and 
result  of  the  judgment  should  be  stated  in  advance.  God 
was  not  to  break  off  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  his  promises 
would  still  be  fulfilled,  Hab.  2 :  14  ;  3  :  13.  (1.)  Jeremiah 
had  a  long  ministry,  a  large  book  of  prophecy.  The  other 
books  ere  short,  and  their  ministries  likewise.  (2.)  Full 
details  of  Jeremiah's  life,  while  nothing  is  recorded  of  the 
others.  (3.)  Jeremiah  and  Zephaniah  principally  judgment 
on  Judah,  Habakkukjudgment  on  Babylon.  (4.)  Promises 
given  that  thejudgment  should  not  destroy  but  purify,  limit 
set  to  the  exile,  people,  city,  kingdom,  priesthood  should 
not  perish  forever,  Jer.  chs.  31-33.  The  exile  (Jer.  29  :  10), 
would  be  temporary.  Every  apparent  loss  should  be  more 
than  compensated.     Sequel  to  the  preceding  period  in  Ju- 


dah.  His  promise  was  still  to  stand  sure.  The  ark  might 
perish,  but  would  not  be  missed.  Every  loss  was  a 
real  gain,  Jer.  3  :  16,  17.  The  tables  of  the  law  might  be 
lost,  but  the  law  was  written  on  their  hearts,  Jer.  31  :  31-33. 
The  Chaldean  period  is  a  seque.1  of  what  had  preceded  it. 
They  were  pursuing  the  same  course  with  the  same  causes 
and  similar  results.  The  same  judgment  was  still  before 
them,  but  now  nearer.  (1.)  The  range  of  foresight  of  these 
prophets  did  not  reach  beyond  that  of  the  preceding  ones. 
(2.)  They  reiterate  the  same  predictions  their  predecessors 
proclaimed,  often  stating  them  in  the  same  language.  They 
thus  conformed  to  the  ancient  prophecies,  and  at  the  same 
time  give  authority  for  their  own  predictions.  (3.)  No  new 
or  peculiar  Messianic  predictions.  Habakkuk  gives  the 
negative  side  of  the  future,  the  overthrow  of  all  that  ob- 
structs the  people  of  God.  Zephaniah  is  positive,  and  tells 
of  the  regathering  of  the  people  from  captivity,  and  of  their 
future  glory.  Jeremiah  is  both  positive  and  negative,  and 
at  the  same  time  goes  bej^ond  Habakkuk  and  Zephaniah, 
by  introducing  the  person  of  Christ,  as  Branch  of  David, 
over  Israel  and  Judah  united.  All  three  prophets  declare 
that  the  theocracy  is  now  to  break  up,  and  that  all  nations 
will  one  day  be  included  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 


JEREMIAH. 

More  details  of  Jeremiah's  life  are  given  than  of  any 
other  canonical  prophet.  His  name  signifies  "  he  whom 
God  hath  appointed,"  but  the  usage  of  the  word  makes  it 
mean,  "  he  whom  God  will  throw  down,"  and  his  was  a 
ministry  of  overthrow  and  reconstruction,  1 :  10.  He  was 
son  of  Hilkiah,  priest  in  Anathoth.  He  was,  therefore,  of 
priestly  descent,  like  Ezekiel.  Was  Hilkiah  the  same  as 
the  one  mentioned  in  2  Kings  22  :  4  ?  It  is  not  certain,  but 
probably  they  were  different  persons.  For  (1.)  Jeremiah's 
father  is  never  called  the  High-Priest.  (2.)  1  Chron.  9  :  11 ; 
ISTehemiah  11  :  11.  The  High-Priest,  Hilkiah,  was  from 
Zadok,  of  the  family  of  Eleazer,  to  whom  this  dignity  was 
transferred,  1  Chron.  24  :  35  ;  1  Kings  2  :  35.  (30  In  addi- 
tion it  has  been  alleged  that  the  High-Priest  must  reside 


89 

in  Jerusalem.  This  is  questioned.  If  the  Hilkiah  of  Jer. 
29:  3,  is  the  prophet's  father,  then  the  prophet  had  a 
brother.  The  hostility  of  his  house  against  him  is  recorded 
inthe  12th  ch.  37:  2,  he  had  a  cousin  and  an  uncle.  His 
uncle  is  said  to  be  the  same  Shallum  who  was  the  husband 
of  the  prophetess  Huldah,  2  Kings  22  :  14.  Anathoth  was 
established  for  the  possession  of  the  priests,  Josh.  21  :  18. 
It  was  three  miles  north  of  Jerusalem.  Here  the  prophet 
was  born,  29  :  27,  and  spent  his  early  years.  He  was  called 
at  an  early  age,  1 :  6.  This  was  the  year  after  Josiah  began 
his  first  reformation.  He  was,  therefore,  called  early  to  aid 
this  pious  king  in  his  work.  His  youth  may  not  have  been 
so  great  as  it  seems  to  be  from  the  expression,  "  a  child," 
which  is  applied  to  him.  This  term  was  applicable  from 
birth  to  twenty  years  of  age,  and  is  so  used  in  other  pass- 
ages. We  do  not  read  that  he  ever  acted  as  priest,  and  we 
know  he  was  never  married.  16  :  2.  In  the  title  of  the  book, 
1 :  2,  3,  mention  is  made  of  Josiah.  But  Jehoahaz  and 
Jehoiachin  are  omitted.  His  ministry  was  forty  years,  to 
the  capture  of  Jerusalem.  Under  Josiah,  eighteen  years, 
13:  31;  Jehoash,  three  months  ;  Jehoiakim,  eleven  years  ; 
Jehoiachin,  three  months  ;  Zedekiah,  fourteen  years.  Two 
remarks  :  (a)  The  omission  of  two  of  these  kings  made  in 
Jeremiah,  is  accounted  for  either  by  the  brevity  of  their 
reigns,  or  because  nothing  occurs  to  bring  out  anything 
from  the  prophet,  (b)  The  ministry  of  the  prophet  is  spoken 
of  as  extending  only  to  the  captivity  of  Jerusalem,  whereas 
the  prophecies  of  chapters  40-46  were  after  that  date, 
Dan.  1 :  21. 

Jeremiah's  task  was  to  testify  of  the  coming  ruin.  He 
had  done  this  for  a  long  time.  The  kingdom  was  over- 
thrown, and  the  people  came  into  captivity.  In  order  to 
complete  the  picture,  he  traces  the  fortunes  of  the  remnant 
left  behind  in  Jerusalem,  and  going  from  bad  to  worse. 
We  are  not  to  understand,  therefore,  that  his  ministry,  ex- 
tended only  to  the  captivity.  Whatever  he  was  to  tell  after 
this  was  not  so  important.  Dan.  1  :  21,  a  parallel  "  until 
the  first  year  of  Cyrus  ;"  but  we  find  him  after  the  third 
year  of  Cyrus.  Yet  the  most  important  part  of  his  ministry 
was  before  the  first  jear. 

Three  great  events.  1.  The  reformation  of  Josiah.  2. 
Capture  of  Jerusalem  in  the  fourth  year  of  Jehoiakim.  3. 
Its  destruction  in  the  eleventh  year  of  Zedekiah.  With  the 
mention  of  2  :  21  and  12  :  6  of  the  hostile  treatment  of  the 


90 

men  of  Anathoth,  some  have  said  he  began  his  ministry  in 
the  place  of  his  birth,  but  meeting  with  persecution  there, 
went  to  Jerusalem.  But  2  :  2,  says  he  exercised  his  office 
in  Jerusalem  from  the  first,  its  vicinity  being  such  that  meu 
of  Anathoth  could  exercise  hostility  toward  him  there 
easily.  Was  persecuted,  36  :  5  ;  22 :  2.  The  command,  in 
11 :  6,  to  the  cities  of  Judah,  does  not  say  that  his  ministry 
was  itinerant,  because  26:  2,  he  is  represented  as  doing  the 
same.  No  other  prophet  except  Elijah  met  with  such  treat- 
ment. He  was  persecuted  by  others  as  well  as  by  citizens 
of  Anathoth.  Even  Elijah  retired  from  persecution,  Jere- 
miah kept  on.  He  was  warned  of  this  when  he  was  com- 
missioned of  God.  He  was  met  with  sneers,  23  :  33-40. 
People  upheld  their  false  prophets  who  attempted  to  de- 
stroy the  force  of  Jeremiah's  messages.  The  sight  of  this 
evil  from  the  people  of  God  was  almost  too  much  for  such 
a  prophet,  and  he  20  :  14-18,  curses  the  day  of  his  birth. 
It  was  not  timidity,  for  no  one  can  exceed  him  in  courage, 
20  :  11-13.  His  enemies  were  not  confined  to  words,  but 
extended  to  acts,  20  :  1-6,  put  in  stocks  by  Pashur.  Ar- 
rested on  charge  of  treason  36  :  5,  not  imprisoned  but  under 
restraint.  So  that,  36  :  19,  he  could  not  with  safety  show 
himself.  Ch.  29  :  26,  27,  his  punishment  was  demanded 
from  Zephaniah.  The  prophet  attempted  to  leave  the  city, 
37  :  13.  In  spite  of  his  denial  of  treason  he  was  put  in 
prison  26:  8.  Cast  into  a  pit  in  the  court  of  the  prison  to 
die,  39:  15-18.  His  imprisonment  must  have  lasted  nine 
months.  During  this  time  Zephaniah  consulted  him  se- 
cretly twice.  Jeremiah  came  into  Egypt  when  the  Jews 
fled  thence,  and  he  remained  there. 

Legends  concerning  Jeremiah. — That  he  was  stoned  by  the 
Jews,  and  that  his  grave  is  in  Cairo.  Alexandrian  Jews 
loved  him  because  he  had  been  with  them  in  Egypt,  and 
they  have  many  legends  about  him,  2  Mac.  2  :  1-7;  15 :  15, 
16."  From  Matt.  16 :  14,  it  appears  that  at  the  time  of 
Christ,  there  was  an  expectation  of  his  personal  re-appear- 
ance, which  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  no  men- 
tion is  made  of  his  death.  Many  think  that  he  is  one  of 
the  two  witnesses  in  Rev.  11. 

The  Septuagint  differs  from  A.  V.  very  considerably. 
33  :  14-26,  have  been  dropped.  46  :  46-51  are  not  only  in 
a  different  order  among  themselves,  but  the  entire  section 
has  been  removed  to  stand  after  ch.  26.  These  differences 
are  remarked  on  by  Jerome  and  Origen.     Jerome — care- 


91 

lessness  of  transcribers.  The  Septuagint  made  from  a  faulty 
MS.  Michaelis  says  there  was  one  edition  in  Egypt  after 
the  prophet's  death.  From  the  nature  of  the  variations  it 
is  evident  that  they  can  not  be  traced  to  the  ordinary  differ- 
ences in  copying.     They  must  have  had  a  purpose. 

Text  and  Plan  of  Jeremiah. — Discrepancies  between  He- 
brew and  Greek  text,  abbreviations,  additions,  alterations, 
transpositions,  remarked  by  Origen  and  Jerome.  Theories 
of  Egyptian  and  Palestine  editions  of  the  original.  Due  to 
the  translator,  (a)  Their  character;  (b)  inaccuracies  and  ar- 
bitrary changes  in  other  books;  (<?)  2  Chron.  36:  20. 
Prophecies  not  in  chronological  order:  Hence  many  com- 
mentators complain  of  want  of  arrangement  and  confusion. 
Lightfoot  and  Blaney  assume  accidental  dislocation.  Eich- 
horn's  hypothesis  is  that  there  were  different  editions  of  this 
book.  (1.)  These  statements  are  based  on  a  false  assump- 
tion. The  disorder  claimed  does  not  exist.  (2.)  These 
hypotheses  are  mere  figments  of  the  brain.  The  only  solu- 
tion they  offer  is  a  mere  chance.  (3.)  Nothing  can  be  safely 
built  on  the  roll  of  Baruch,  36,  because  the  contents  of  it 
are  unknown.  They  were  not  for  permanent  preservation, 
but  for  a  special  occasion,  36  :  32.  (4.)  These  theories  regard 
the  formation  of  the  book  as  a  mere  mechanical  work, 
thrown  about  without  any  ideas  at  all.  This  excludes  any 
participation  by  the  prophet  in  the  arrangement  of  the  book. 
Reaction  in  German  criticism,  and  now  Ewald  recognizes 
an  orderly  arrangement. 

The  Book  from  Jeremiah  Himself. — That  the  book  iu  its 
present  form  proceeded  from  the  prophet  is  shown  :  (1.) 
By  the  frequent  use  of  the  first  person,  both  in  the  indi- 
vidual prophecies,  and  the  headings  of  the  transpositions, 
which  show  that  he  composed  and  arranged  them,  12  :  6. 
(2.)  In  the  fourth  and  fifth  years  of  Jehoiakim,  36  :  2-32,  he 
reduced  to  writing  what  had  been  given  him.  He  was  again 
told,  30  :  2,  to  write.  That  the  prophetical  book  could  not 
have  been  produced  at  the  time  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  these  are  productions  after  that  time,  and  formulas  of 
transition.  The  arrangement  topical,  hinted  27  :  12.  Not 
written  piecemeal  in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  but  a  con- 
tinuous composition  prepared  at  its  close.  1.  Prophecies 
of  different  periods  put  together,  those  of  the  same  period 
dispersed.  2.  Prophecies  accompanied  by  remarks  made 
at  a  later  period,  25  :  1.  3.  Allusions  to  succeeding  por- 
tions of  the  book.     4.  Systematic  disposition  of  the  matter. 


92 

Analysis  of  Jeremiah. — Three  sections  with  a  historical 
appendix,  ch.  52.  I.  chs.  1-33,  Prediction  of  the  judg- 
ment and  the  restoration.  II.  chs.  34-45,  History  of  the 
judgment.  III.  chs.  46-51,  Predictions  respecting  foreign 
nations.  First  section  subdivided.  A.  chs.  1-20,  General 
denunciation  of  Judah.  B.  chs.  21-23,  Civil  and  religious 
leaders.  C.  chs.  24-29,  Design  and  duration  of  the  judg- 
ment. JD.  chs.  30-33,  Blessing  which  would  fo  low. 
Threatening  preponderates,  but  a  few  words  of  promise  in 
each  division  till  the  last.  In  A.  not  separate  discourses, 
but  continuous  treatment  of  one  theme;  no  date  except 
3  :  6.  Second  section.  A.  chs.  34-38,  Evidences  of  ripe- 
ness for  judgment.  B.  ch.  39,  Destruction  of  the  city.  C. 
chs.  40-45,  Fortunes  of  the  remnant.  No  promise  to  the 
people,  only  one  in  each  division  to  individuals,  the  Rechab- 
ites,  35:  18,  19;  Ebed-melech,  39:  15-18;  Baruch,  ch.  45. 

Contents  of  Jeremiah. — There  is  a  larger  number  of  sym- 
bols than  in  any  previous  prophet.  The  symbols  are  of 
three  kinds. 

Symbolic  Visions. — Two  occur  in  ch.  1  in  connection 
with  the  call  of  the  prophet  and  signify  the  character  of 
his  ministry,  (a)  1  :  11,  12.  "  The  rod  of  an  almond 
tree,"  which  God  says  means  that  he  will  hasten  his  word 
to  perform  it.  It  comes  from  a  root  meaning  "  to  be 
awake."  Thus  God  was  about  to  waken  to  judgment,  (b) 
1  :  13,  14.  "A  seething  pot  and  the  face  thereof  is  toward 
the  north,"  which  God  says  means  that  out  of  the  north  an 
evil  shall  break  forth  upon  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land, 
i.  e.  Babylon  and  its  various  sub-kingdoms  were  to  desolate 
the  laud;  these  always  entered  Judah  from  the  north.  (<?) 
24  :  1-3,  "  two  baskets  of  figs  .  .  .  one  basket  had 
very  good  figs  even  like  the  figs  that  are  first  ripe ;  and 
the  other  basket  had  very  naughty  figs,  which  could  not  be 
eaten  they  were  so  bad."  The  good  figs  represented  those 
that  had  just  been  carried  away  captive  by  Neb.,  for  the 
captivity  was  to  result  in  their  good  ;  and  the  evil  figs  rep- 
resented those  who  remained  in  Judea  under  Zedekiah,  for 
they  were  to  suffer  for  worse  evils,  (d)  25  :  15,  16.  A 
wine  cup  of  which  Jerusalem  and  all  the  nations  were  to 
drink — the  fury  of  God  in  his  judgment  from  which  the 
nations  were  to  be,  as  it  were,  intoxicated.  This  symbol 
is  used  by  other  prophets,  and  by  Jeremiah  elsewhere. 

Symbolic  Actions.— {a)  Ch.  13:  1-11.  The  prophet  is 
directed  to  take  a  girdle  and  put  it  on  his  loins.     After- 


93 

wards  to  hide  it  in  a  rock  by  the  Euphrates.  Then  com- 
manded to  take  it  out  and  he  finds  it  all  spoiled.  Explana- 
tion :  Judah  was  bound  to  the  Lord  as  a  peculiar  people, 
but  they  rebelled  and  now  their  pride  was  to  be  broken  by 
the  captivity,  (b)  18:  1-6.  The  prophet  was  directed  to 
go  down  to  the  potter's  house,  when  he  saw  the  potter  make 
one  vessel  out  of  the  clay,  and  that  proving  defective  he 
made  another.  God  could  do  with  Israel  as  he  pleased. 
(c)  19:  1-13.  The  prophet  was  directed  to  take  an  earthen 
Dottle  and  break  it  to  pieces  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom  in 
sight  of  people  and  priests.  Exp. — Judah  was  to  be  utterlv 
destroyed,  (d)  27  :  1-11,  12-22  ;  28  :  1-14.  The  prophet 
is  directed  to  take  yokes  of  wood  and  put  them  on  bis  neck 
and  send  them  to  various  nations.  This  is  repeated  in  the 
reign  of  Zedekiah.  Hananiah,  a  false  prophet,  breaks  the 
yoke,  whereupon  the  prophet  is  directed  to  make  iron 
yokes  and  repeat  the  action.  Exp. — Judah  and  these  nations 
were  to  be  brought  under  the  rule  of  Babylon,  (e)  32  : 
6-15.  The  prophet  is  directed  to  purchase  the  field  offered 
to  him  by  his  uncle's  son,  which  he  does,  weiging  out  17 
shekels  of  silver,  subscribing  the  evidence  and  sealing  it  in 
the  presence  of  witnesses  and  recording  the  evidence  of 
the  purchase  and  putting  all  the  papers  in  an  earthen 
vessel.  Exp. — Judah  should  be  restored  and  reinherit  her 
own  land.  (/)  35.  The  prophet  is  directed  to  set  wine 
before  the  Rechabites,  which  he  does,  but  they  refuse  to 
drink  became  of  their  father's  command.  Exp. — They  re- 
garded the  command  of  their  ancestor,  though  Judah  did 
not  recognize  command  of  God  and  in  consequence  they 
were  to  be  blessed  and  Judah  punished.  {g)  43  :  8-10. 
The  prophet  is  directed  to  take  great  stones  and  to  hide 
them  in  the  clay  in  the  brick-kiln,  which  is  in  Tahpanhes, 
in  sight  of  the  men  of  Judah.  Exp. — Nebuchadnezzar 
should  firmly  establish  his  throne  in  Egypt  and  completely 
conquer  the  land,  (h)  51 :  59-64.  The  prophet  wrote  in  a 
book  all  the  evil  that  was  to  come  upon  Babylon,  and  gave 
it  to  Seraiah  who  went  into  captivity  along  with  Zedekiah 
and  commanded  him  to  read  all  that  was  written  in  it  when 
he  came  to  Babylon.  After  he  had  read  it  he  should  bind 
a  stone  to  it  and  cast  it  into  the  Euphrates.  Exp. — Babylon 
should  be  utterly  destroyed. 

Symbolic  Names. — Passur,  who  persecuted  the  prophet 
and  prophesied  falsely,  is  called  Magor-missabib.  Fear 
roundabout.     20:  1-6.     Exp. — Refers  to  the  terror  and  dcs- 


94 

olatiou  to  come  upon  him  and  the  nation  by  the  Babylon- 
ish captivity.  Other  names.  Shallum,  22:  11;  Coniah, 
22:  24;  new  application  of  Jehoiakim  and  Zedekiah,  23: 
5,6;   Sheshach25:  26.     Merathaim,  Pekod,  50 :  21. 

I.  A.  Ch.  1,  introductory,  describes  character  of  his 
ministry,  first  literally,  then  symbolically,  in  two  visions. 
Chs.  2-20,  divided  by  headings  into  three  parts.  (1.)  Chs. 
1-6  argument  of  doom,  (a)  2  :  1 ;  3  :  5  Judah  guilty  of 
forsaking  Jehovah.  (b)  3  :  6 ;  4:2  Judah  worse  than 
Israel.  3  :  14  Judah  shall  be  brought  back  to  Zion,  and 
God  will  recognize  His  marriage  relation  to  them  on  con- 
dition of  their  returning  to  Him.  This  will  be  fulfilled  not 
in  the  return  of  the  entire  body,  but  even  to  single  indi- 
viduals. Instead  of  the  foreign  oppressors  under  whose 
sway  they  were,  3 :'  15,  they  shall  have  pastors  like  David. 
1  Sam.  3  :  14;  Jer.  3  :  16.  (c)  4  :  3  ;  6  :  20,  Judah  to  be 
visited  with  desolation  and  exile.  (2.)  Neh.  7:  13,  Judah's 
covenant  privileges  could  not  save  him.  The  ark  of  the 
covenant  was  to  be  destroyed  even  though  Judah  was  re- 
lying upon  it.  God  will  reveal  Himself  to  the  pious  among 
the  people,  in  such  a  way  as  they  had  not  experienced  be- 
fore. The  whole  city  of  God's  people  will  be  made  what 
the  ark  had  been  before,  v.  17.  All  nations  would  be 
gathered  to  Jerusalem.  The  promises  of  Jeremiah  are 
substantially  a  repetition  of  those  of  Hosea  and  Amos. 
There  are  some  differences  however,  (a)  In  Jeremiah  there 
is  an  enlargement  of  God's  grace.  The  condition  of  prom- 
ise is  more  individual,  (b)  The  announcement  of  Judah's 
fall  is  made  with  more  distinctness,  because  the  time  of  the 
evil  was  so  much  nearer.  The  speaking  of  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  as  being  taken  away  and  destroyed  implies  a 
change  in  the  whole  economy.  The  ark  had  given  value 
to  the  temple,  and  if  that  was  gone,  everything  was  lost, 
unless  a  new  order  of  things  should  come  in  to  take  its 
place.  A  new  dispensation  here,  and  in  ch.  31,  was  par- 
ticularly appropriate  because  demolition  was  already  about 
to  take  place.  The  taking  away  of  the  ark  is  not  under- 
stood by  those  who  think  there  will  be  a  return  to  the 
rituals  of  Judaism,  for  what  will  they  be  without  the  ark  ?  2 
Chron.  35  :  3.  The  prophet  then  goes  on  to  say  that  Judah 
will  be  given  into  the  hands  of  the  heathen  even  as  Israel 
was.  The  temple  would  not  save  them,  7  :  4;  nor  their 
sacrifices,  7  :  21 ;  nor  their  possession  of  the  law,  8:8; 
nor  the  presence  of  God,  8:19;  nor  their  circumcision,  9  : 


95 

25,  26.  Jeremiah  12  :  14-17  contains  a  promise  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. God  will  return  to  them  and  bring  them  to  His 
heritage.  The  form  of  this  promise  gives  us  a  hint  as  to 
the  literal  method  of  interpretation.  If  this  prophecy 
does  not  and  can  not  mean  that  the  lineal  descendants  of 
Babylon  shall  be  built  up  again  in  their  own  land,  then 
why  are  we  compelled  to  regard  the  promises  in  the  case 
of  Israel  as  literally  a  return  to  their  own  land  ?  (3.)  Chs. 
14-20.  Judah's  doom  terrible  and  inevitable.  Yet  there 
is  a  promise  of  distant  mercy  in  a  form  implying  the  nearer 
judgment,  16  :  14,  15. 

B.  Chs.  21-23.  The  people  having  been  sentenced,  the 
prophet  turns  to  the  leaders  of  the  people  upon  whom  the 
guilt  falls.  He  rebukes  the  kings  of  former  days,  and  then 
contrasts  with  them  the  future  faithful  shepherds,  and  es- 
pecially Messiah. 

C.  Chs.  24-29.  Purpose  and  duration  of  the  exile  de- 
clared in  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim,  "  whom  the  Lord  shall 
raise  up."'  The  former  Jehoiakim  was  only  a  parody  of 
the  king  who  should  come.  Zedekiah,  "  the  Lord  our 
righteousness."  Here  again  the  first  is  the  mere  parody  of 
the  second.  Jeremiah  concludes  the  first  section  of  the 
book  with  a  series  of  promises. 

D.  Chs.  30-33.  These  four  chapters  are  promissory  of 
blessings  to  follow  the  judgments;  as  appears  from  title  of 
ch.  32.  They  are  divided  into  two  parts  of  two  chapters 
each. 

(1)  Chs.  30-31.  1.  Ch.  30.  (a)  To  both  branches  of 
the  covenant  people.  (6)  To  the  people  separately.  To 
Israel,  31  :  1-21.  To  Judah,  31  :  22-30.  The  promise  is 
that  they  should  be  restored  with  David  as  their  king.  (2) 
The  promise  is  that  God  will  enter  into  a  new  and  more- 
intimate  covenant  relation  with  them  than  formerly  when 
thej'  came  out  of  Egypt.  And  hence  (31  :  31—34,)  all  shall 
know  the  Lord.  The  covenant  written  upon  stone  shall  be 
engraved  upon  their  hearts.  The  relation  to  the  people 
shall  be  indissoluble,  fixed  as  the  natural  laws  of  God,  31  : 
35-37.  (3.)  These  three  truths,  (a)  the  restoration,  (6)  the 
new  intensity,  (c)  the  perpetuity  of  the  theocracy,  having 
been  stated  in  literal  terms  (31  :  38-40),  are  again  set  forth 
under  a  figure  of  the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem  ;  not  only  in 
its  former  dimensions,  but  greatly  enlarged.  It  shall  be 
rebuilt  so  as  to  extend  over  new  territory  outside,  and  for- 
merly regarded  as  polluted,  but  now  made  sacred.     Hill  of 


96 

Gareb,  31  :  39,  the  hill  of  the  lepers,  that  profane  spot  out- 
side of  the  city,  where  the  lepers  were  banished.  Goath 
(31  :  39)  :  About  the  meaning  of  this  there  is  a  question. 
But  the  derivation  of  the  word  will  decide  it.  It  may  be 
derived  either  from  goah,  to  expire,  or  gaah,  to  groan.  It  is 
probable  that  it  denotes  the  place  of  the  execution  of  crim- 
inals. The  temple  is  to  include  all  these,  and  also,  "the 
whole  valley  of  dead  bodies;"  not  the  cemetery,  but  the 
valley  of  Hinnom,  which  was  a  very  unclean  place,  and  the 
image  of  hell.  "  And  of  the  ashes."  This  place  is  the 
spot  to  which  the  ashes  from  the  temple  sacrifices  were 
carried  out  of  the  city.  "  A  nd  all  the  fields  unto  the  brook 
of  Kedron."  These  fields  Josiah  had  defiled  by  strewing 
the  ashes  of  the  idolatrous  vessels  which  had  been  burned 
upon  the  grass  of  the  worshipers  of  the  false  gods,  Baal 
and  Astarte,  2  Kings  22  :  24-26.  All  these  places  were 
profane,  yet  to  be  included  within  the  limits  of  the  restored 
city,  and  to  become  holy  to  the  Lord.  Idolatry  and  pollu- 
tion were  not  only  not  to  come  into  the  city,  but  the  holi- 
ness of  the  city  should  reach'  out  and  halldw  even  that 
which  before  had  been  regarded  as  irretrievably  unclean. 
That  these  promises  do  not  belong  to  the  material  Jerusa- 
lem, nor  to  the  natural  Jerusalem  as  such,  but  to  the  spirit- 
ual people  of  God,  is  apparent,  (a)  from  inspired  applica- 
tion, Heb.  8  :  8;  10:  15-17.  (b)  Also  Jeremiah's  words 
elsewhere.  God's  promises  not  bound  by  nationality  irre- 
spective of  character,  18:  6-10;  the  true  Israel  preserved 
in  the  faithful  few  notwithstanding  the  rejection  of  the  un- 
believing mass,  3:  14;  24:  4-10;  and  the  building  of 
heathen  in  the  midst  of  God's  people,  12  :  6  ;  when  the 
covenant  of  stone  had  been  broken.  God  will  put  his  law 
in  their  inward  parts  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,  31 :  33. 
After  the  ark  has  been  taken  away  (3  :  16),  what  is  there  to 
give  sacredness  to  Jerusalem,  which  is  not  possessed  by 
every  other  city  which  is  spiritual  ?     Of.  John  4  :  21-23. 

(2)  Chs.  32-33.  Promises  by  restoration  repeated,  re- 
affirmed, and  enforced  by  the  symbol  of  the  purchase  of 
the  field  of  Anathoth,  outside  the  city.  This  indicates  the 
certainty  of  a  restoration.  He  then,  in  addition,  gives: 
1.  Assurance  of  the  perpetuity  of  royalty  and  priesthood 
(33  :  17,  18).  The  purpose  of  God  in  this  matter  is  as  fixed 
as  the  succession  of  day  and  night.  2.  The  multiplica- 
tion of  those  invested  with  royal  and  priestly  dignit}*  (33  : 
22).     Judah  was  on  the  point  of  being  broken  up  and  the 


97 

temple  destroyed,  the  throne  of  David  cast  down.  But 
Jeremiah  would  teach  the  people  of  God  that  these  things 
will  not  continue  forever.  A  glorious  future  is  before 
them.  The  theocracy  is  not  dissolved,  but  only  interrupted, 
to  be  restored  again  into  a  more  glorious  condition.  The 
promise  (33  :  17,  18),  is  that  David  and  the  priesthood 
should  never  lack  successors.  The  marginal  reading  is  the 
true  rendering.  This  secures  from  extirpation,  but  not 
from  temporary  interruption.  Of.  2  Sam.  7:  14-16;  Ps. 
89  :  29-37,  with  Jer.  33  :  22.  These  promises  are  fulfilled 
in  a  threefold  way.  (a)  In  a  partial  fulfillment  in  Zerub- 
babel,  who,  though  not  strictly  king,  exercised  some  regal 
functions,  (b)  Further  fulfilled  in  Christ,  who  is  the  seed 
of  David,  (c)  Finally  in  all  the  true  people  of  God  who 
are  all  to  be  made  kings  and  adopted  into  the  house  of 
David.  That  this  is  intended  appears  from  33:  22,  where 
the  vast  multiplication  of  the  house  of  David  is  mentioned. 
1.  The  perpetuity  of  the  kingdom  does  not  require  such  a 
vast  number  of  descendants.  2.  Its  fulfillment  in  the  line 
of  natural  seed  is  not  only  not  verified  by  fact,  but  would 
be  preposterous  and  anything  but  a  blessing.  Therefore 
the  Septuagint  dropped  this  passage.  A  reigning  family 
thus  multiplied  would  be  burdensome  for  the  people  jto 
support.  3.  The  language  of  the  promise  is  in  the  prec  se 
terms  of  that  to  Abraham.  Therefore  the  entire  family  of 
Abraham  is  merged  in  the  house  of  David.  4.  This  was 
the  true  idea  of  Israel,  as  the  people  of  God.  They  were 
(Ex.  19  :  6)  kings  and  priests.  These  functions  for  a  time 
were  entrusted  to  individuals,  but  were  to  revert  to  the 
people.  5.  The  N".  T.  teaches  its  fulfillment  in  all  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  1  Pet.  2:9;  Rev.  1  :  6  :  5  :  10. 

Priesthood. — There  is  an  analogous  fulfil /ment  with  re- 
spect to  the  priesthood.  1.  Literal  in  the  return  from  the 
captivit}7.  2.  Christ  as  perpetual  priest.  3.  All  the  true 
people  of  God  are  priests,  and  are  included  in  the  family 
of  Levi.  That  this  iast  is  included  appears  not  only  from 
the  analogy  of  kingship  but  also  because:  1.  The  thing 
realty  contemplated  in  the  promise  is  that  the  priesthood 
should  he  perpetual.  No  stress  was  laid  on  its  being  in  the 
fleshly  family  of  Levi.  The  point  at  issue  was  not  the  pre- 
rogative of  a  tribe  but  the  condition  of  the  people.  The 
office  should  remain.  2.  Jeremiah  often  intimates  the  abol- 
ishment of  the  old  economy,  which  implies  a  change  of 
outward  form.     The  ark  of  the  covenant  (3:  16)  was  to  be 


taken  away.  This  intimates  the  abolishment  of  the  old 
economy  of  which  the  ark  was  the  great  representative. 
Ch.  31:  1-2  says  a  new  covenant  was  to  supersede  the  old 
covenant.  3.  An  older  prophet  speaks  in  like  manner 
(Isaiah  66:  21;  61:  6)  of  the  entire  people  of  God.  4. 
From  the  providence  of  God.  The  priesthood  of  the  tribe 
of  Levi  has  never  been  literally  perpetuated,  and  could  not 
now  be  except  by  miracle,  for  all  the  tribal  distinctions  are 
lost.  If  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah  is  to  meet  with  any  ful- 
fillment at  all,  it  must  be  spiritual.  5.  Teachings  of  N.  T. 
6.  Even  such  a  literalist  as  Henderson  confesses  this.  "We 
are  shut  up  to  the  spiritual  interpretation  of  this  passage." 

II.  Chs.  34-45.  A.  34-48,  facts  adduced  as  specimens 
and  evidences  ot  the  prevailing  corruption.  Hebrew  ser- 
vants, ch.  34.  Rechabites,  ch.  35,  Jehoiakim,  ch.  36,  Zede- 
kiah,  chs.  37,  38.  B.  ch.  39,  Destruction  of  city.  C.  chs. 
40-45,  The  wretched  remnant,  closing  with  personal 
promise  to  Baruch. 

III.  Chs.  46-51,  Probably  in  chronological  order. 
Promises  to  Egypt,  Moab,  Amnion  and  El  am  ;  none  w> 
Babylon,  51  :  65.  Ch.  52,  historical  appendix,  perhaps 
added  by  another.  (1.)  Jer.  51  :  64.  (2.)  Similar  narra- 
tive in  ch.  39.  (3.)  Date  of  52  :  31-34,  twenty-six  years 
after  the  destruction  of  the  city.  (4.)  Coincidence  with  2 
Kings.  Contains  no  mention  of  return  from  exile.  Jere- 
miah's adoption  of  language  of  preceding  books,  especially 
ch.  48,  Moab  ;  49:  7,  etc.,  Edom;  affords  incidental  proot 
of  their  genuineness  ;  variations  not  arise  from  corruption 
of  text. 


LAMENTATIONS. 


One  of  the  five  Megilloth,  in  Hagiographa  or  after  Jere- 
miah, catalogues  of  canon.  Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin 
names.  Not  composed  with  reference  to  death  of  Josiah, 
2  Chron.  35:  25,  nor  on  occasion  of  his  death  with  fore- 
sight of  destruction  of  city,  but  on  occurrence  of  this  latter 
event.  Five  sections  of  one  chapter  each;  all  alphabetical 
but  the  last ;  ch.  3,  triple  recurrence  of  each  letter  ;  chs. 
2,  3,  4,  transposition  of  Ayin  and  Pe.  Not  distinct  elegies 
relating   to   successive    states    of  Jerusalem's    overthrow. 


99 


Written  by  Jeremiah,  (a)  unanimous  voice  of  tradition, 
verse  prefixed  in  Septuagint  and  Vulgate,  Josephus,  Origen, 
Jerome,  Talmud,  (b)  correspondence  with  character  of 
prophet,  coincidences  of  statement  of  facts  and  forms  of 
expression,  (e)  no  ground  for  disputing  it. 


HABAKKUK. 

Of  the  present  and  personal  circumstances  of  the  prophet 
we  know  nothing  except  from  his  book.  It  is  inferred  from 
3  :  19,  his  last  words,  that  he  was  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  and 
one  of  the  family  engaged  in  sacred  music  of  the  temple. 
This  is  plausible,  and,  if  true,  it  gives  a  real  explanation  of 
the  close  resemblance  of  ch.  3  to  the  Psalms,  and  the  adop- 
tion there  of  so  many  technical  terms  which  belong  to  the 
Psalms.  The  title  of  ch.  3,  and  the  subscription  are  both 
modeled  after  the  Psalms.  Selah  occurs  three  times  ;  and 
the  last  verse  is  almost  verbatim  from  the  Psalms.  If  this 
be  held,  it  would  be  another  instance  of  prophets  taken 
from  the  temple  servitors.  Jeremiah,  Zechariah,  and 
Ezekiel  were  priests.  While  the  prophets  of  the  former 
period  were  independent  of  the  sacred  orders,  in  this  de- 
generate age  the  fittest  material  was  found  among  the 
priests. 

The  date  of  the  -prophet  is  inferred  from,  1.  That  the  in- 
vasion of  the  Chaldeans  would  be  in  the  lifetime  of  that 
generation,  1  :  5,  6.  Hence  not  in  the  reign  of  Josiah.  2. 
Chap.  2  :  20  implies  that  the  temple  was  standing.  Musi- 
cal worship  still  continued  in  the  temple  (3  :  19).  This  was 
probably  after  the  twelfth  year  of  Josiah's  reign.  Hence 
Habakkuk  was  a  contemporary  of  Jeremiah  and  Zephaniah, 
and  not  more  than  24  years  before  the  invasion  of  lSTebu- 
chadnezzar.  3.  The  order  of  minor  prophets.  Some  try 
to  fix  the  date  more  exactly,  by  comparing  it  with  Jeremiah 
and  Zephaniah.  Thus,  it  is  said,  that  as  Jeremiah  is  much 
more  specific  as  to  the  Babylonian  conquest,  while  Habak- 
kuk mentions  only  the  bare  fact,  therefore  Plabakkuk  was 
before  Jeremiah.  This  is  sometimes  the  case,  but  not  al- 
ways, and  therefore  cannot  be  made  the  basis  of  argument. 
Sometimes  it  is  reversed,  e.g.,  Isaiah  prophesied  the  over- 
throw of  Babylon  more  minutely  than  did  Habakkuk. 
Again,  there  are  passages  in  which  Jeremiah  and  Zephan- 


100 

iah  have  borrowed  the  language  of  Habakkuk.  Yet  while 
this  is  probably  true,  the  argument  as  to  priority  is  ques- 
tionable, because  it  can  be  so  easily  reversed.  The  design 
is  both  minatory  and  consolatory.  Minatory  to  chastise 
sinners  in  Judah  ;  consolatory  to  comfort  the  pious.  As 
to  the  prophecy  of  the  overthrow  of  Babylon,  observe:  I. 
Its  dramatic  power.  First  he  speaks  to  God  for  the  people. 
Then  God  answers.  Then  the  prophet  speaks  for  himself. 
Then  God  speaks  to  the  prophet.  Finally  he  gives  utter- 
ance to  his  prophecies  of  joy.  What  is  peculiar  is  this  reg- 
ular alternation  from  beginning  to  end,  and  is  an  index  of 
the  psychological  condition  of  the  prophet.  He  is  in  a 
rapt,  ecstatic  state,  and  the  form  of  the  prophecy  reprodu- 
ces his  own  states  of  mind  ;  and  the  dramatism  is  not  merely 
a  form,  or  due  to  fancy,  but  is  what  really  took  place,  like 
the  visions  of  other  prophets.  The  prophet  is  not  an  artist, 
but  a  seer.  But  this  ecstacy  does  not  supersede  his  natural 
faculties,  but  lifts  them  to  a  higher  sphere.  The  fact  is, 
the  prophetical  inspiration  has  its  analogy  with  spiritual 
illumination.  A  real  supernatural  communication  is  made 
ab  extra.  Yet  the  extraordinary  method  attaches  itself  to 
the  ordinary  methods  used  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  facts 
revealed  are  not  absolutely  new  truths.  The  unknown  is 
imparted  as  limited  with  what  was  previously  understood, 
and  a  sense  of  need  is  created  which  demands  the  new 
truth  ;  and  thus  God  revealed  His  purpose  that  the  land 
should  be  ravaged  by  the  Chaldeans,  and  they  in  turn 
overthrown.  But  this  was  disclosed  as  part  of  the  spiritual 
training  of  the  people,  and  hence  given  in  their  moral 
senses  aud  relations.  Judah  was  very  corrupt.  Fraud  and 
impiety  were  unchecked.  God's  law  was  disregarded. 
Shocked  by  this,  and  personal  wrongs,  the  pious,  through 
Habakkuk,  appeal  to  God  if  He  will  longer  tolerate  it. 
They  are  in  extremity  and  look  up  to  God.  Then  the  an- 
swer comes  in  a  revelation  adapted  to  this  state  of  need. 
God  will  punish  by  the  Chaldeans.  But  with  this  come 
fresh  doubts  and  difficulties.  The  fear  lest  the  fierce  Chal- 
deans should  iuvolve  in  punishment  the  good  and  bad  to- 
gether. Hence  they  appeal  to  God  again  ;  and  plant  them- 
selves upon  His  attributes  and  covenant  relations.  They 
cling  to  the  conviction  that  the  Chaldean  invasion  was  for 
correction  and  not  for  destruction.  They  appeal  to  God 
as  governor  of  the  world.  Thus  the  new  complexifies  of 
Providence  demand  fresh  solutions,  and  the  prophet  waits 


" 


101 

the  answer.  It  then  comes.  The  Chaldeans  themselves 
shall  be  trodden  down,  and  the  people  abide  the  retribution 
of  Jehovah.  And  hence  the  people  of  God  are  prepared 
for  vengeance  in  the  same  way  in  which  they  are  ever  pre- 
pared for  new  supplies  of  grace.  But  while  this  is  true, 
we  must  not  confound  the  two  methods.  Here  there  is  a 
real  disclosure  of  truth.  The  prophet  does  not  infer  a 
judgment  on  themselves  and  upon  the  Chaldeans,  and  then 
announce  these  results  ;  but  he  had  a  divine  revelation 
necessitating  his  belief.  We  have  the  same  general  provi- 
dence to  guide  us,  but  we  can  not  so  supply  it  as  to  make 
it  reveal  the  future.  Hence  there  was  a  real  revelation,  and 
not  a  mere  inference;  which  would  be  conjectural,  delu- 
sive, and  unfulfilled.  Still  less  is  it  a  vaticinium  post  even- 
turn.  Nor  is  it  a  declaration  of  what  was  so  near  as  to  be 
within  the  power  of  human  foresight.  On  the  contrary 
the  prophets  declare  that  they  would  not  believe  it  though 
it  were  told  them.  And  the  fact  of  the  overthrow  of  Baby- 
lon could  not  be  calculated  upon.  Hence  the  future  is  dis- 
closed, not  as  mere  disjointed  facts,  but  as  the  laying  bare 
of  the  links  which  bound  the  future  to  the  present.  This 
lays  the  foundation  of  the  propheticum  curriculum  a  common 
track  which  all  pursue.  They  proceed  from  a  charge  of  sin 
to  its  penalty.  And  if  in  reference  to  God's  people,  they 
proceed  to  fact  of  deliverance.  Observe  these  especially  in 
Habakkuk.  He  begins  with  the  sins  in  Judah  ;  passes  to 
their  punishment  by  the  Chaldeans;  and  then  to  the  over- 
throw of  Babylon.  While  it  is  a  revelation  it  is  not  merely 
an  anticipation  of  history.  The  prophet  is  true  in  repre- 
senting the  future;  yet  the  prophet^o  surveys  it  from  his 
own  view  that  it  is  good  evidence  that  it  is  prophetical  and 
not  historical.  Hence  it  is  written  from  the  prophet's  own 
historical  standpoint,  and  by  its  structure  indicates  its  own 
prophetic  truth. 

Divisions  of  the  Book. — The  first  complaint,  1 :  2-4.  The 
Lord's  response,  1 :  5-11.  The  second  complaint,  1 :  12  ; 
2:  1.  The  Lord's  response,  2:  2-20.  The  triumph,  ch. 
3.  The  injustice  and  oppression  in  Judah  to  be  punished 
by  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  Chaldeans  to  be  punished  by 
their  overthrow.  The  burden,  2  :  4-20,  consisting  of  a 
brief  preamble  and  five  woes  in  successive  stanzas.  Mes- 
sianic passage  in  the  third.  Ch.  3  a  lyrical  recapitulation, 
resemblance  to  the  Psalms  in  style,  artistic  form,  title,  sub- 
scription and  Selah.     Applied  by  the  fathers  to  the  advent 


102 

and  work  of  Christ.  BengePs  chronological  hypothesis,  v. 
2 ;  vs.  3-15  not  historical  ;  (a)  diversity  in  the  explanation 
of  details;  (/>)  disproportionate  length;  (c)  tense  of  open- 
ing verb,  v.  3  (Hebrew).  Prophetic  of  a  divine  descent  to 
judgment,  which  is  to  include  whatever  was  most  grand  in 
former  manifestations  of  God,  directed  against  the  Chal- 
deans and  all  other  foes.  Convulsions  of  nature  poetic  and 
emblematic  or  suggestive  of  the  final  judgment. 


ZEPHANIAH. 

Habakkuk  describes  judgment  on  Chaldeans;  Zepha- 
niah  a  universal  judgment,  in  which,  however,  no  allusion 
is  made  to  the  Chaldeans,  who  are  viewed,  not  as  objects. 
but  as  executioners  of  God's  wrath.  It  has  special  refer- 
ence to  the  unfaithful  in  Judah,  and  inferior  contiguous 
nations,  from  whose  fate,  as  in  Amos,  an  argument  of 
Judah's  doom  is  derived,  3  :  6-8.  Zephaniah  and  Jeremiah 
more  frequent  allusions  to  former  Scriptures  than  Habak- 
kuk. Zephaniah's  ancestry  traced  through  four  degrees, 
to  Hezekiah,  probably  the  king,  (a)  identity  of  name;  (b) 
traced  to  so  remote  an  ancestor ;  (c)  correspondence  with 
the  date.  Objections  that  he  is  not  explicitly  called  king, 
and  that  no  such  son  of  king  Hezekiah  is  mentioned  in  the 
history.  Date,  1  :  1,  probably  after  Josiah's  twelfth  year. 
Other  criteria  inconclusive;  2:  13,  predicted  desolation  of 
Nineveh;  1:  4,  "remnant  of  Baal,"  cutting  off  Chemarim; 
1  :  8,  "  the  king's  children  ;  3  :  4,  "  the  law."  Ch.  1,  uni- 
versal and  sweeping  judgment,  with  particular  application 
to  the  wicked  in  Judah,  vs.  4-13;  exhortation  to  seek  the 
Lord  as  the  only  means  of  escape  2  :  1-3  ;  enforced  by 
judgments  on  other  nations,  exhibited  in  three  stanzas,  of 
four  verses  each,  Philistia  in  the  west,  Moab  and  Amnion 
in  the  east,  Ethiopia  and  Assyria  in  the  south  and  north. 
In  the  middle  stanza,  Messianic  allusion,  as  in  Habakkuk. 
Application  to  Jerusalem,  3:  1-8.  Promissory  conclusion, 
vs.  9-20.  The  heathen  shall  possess  a  pure  language,  and 
take  part  in  the  restoration  of  God's  people.  Purity  and 
blessedness  of  Israel. 


103 
PERIOD  OF  THE  EXILE. 

The  course  of  degeneracy  was  now  violently  terminated. 
It  was  followed  by  a  period  of  seclusion  and  trial.  In 
order  to  effect  the  best  results  in  this  process,  the}-  were, 
first,  to  be  sifted,  the  best  carried  away,  the  worst  left  to 
perish  in  Jerusalem.  The  good  figs  indicate  those  carried 
into  exile.  The  sifting  was  performed  :  1.  By  the  over- 
ruling providence  of  God ;  2.  Natural  causes.  The  Lord 
had  told  the  people  by  Jeremiah  what  was  to  come.  Those 
who  believed  the  prophecy  would  be  submissive,  (a)  to  the 
disposition  of  the  people  ;  (6)  to  the  intentions  of  the  Chal- 
deans. 

Two  things  were  needed  in  this  period.  1.  Influence 
upon  the  people  themselves ;  2.  Influence  upon  the  op- 
pressors in  behalf  of  the  people.  The  former  was  exerted 
by  Ezekiel  ;  the  latter  by  Daniel.  Ezekiel  dwelt  among 
the  exiles  for  their  instruction,  comfort  and  elevation. 
Daniel  lived  at  the  court  of  Babylon  to  protect  the  interests 
ot  the  people,  and  to  consult  for  their  welfare  as  Joseph 
did  before  Pharoah.  Hence  Daniel  is  placed  in  the  Hagio- 
grapha.  The  work  needed  was  of  two  kinds,  according  to 
the  period.  The  first  part  of  the  exile  was  a  transition 
period,  during  which  there  was  the  mere  shadow  of  a  king- 
dom. The  exile  began  in  the  fourth  year  of  Jehoiakim. 
This  portion  of  the  period  of  the  exile,  therefore,  overlaps 
the  former,  the  Chaldean.  Ezekiel,  therefore,  was  living 
contemporaneous. with  Jeremiah.  His  ministry  was  fitted 
to  the  period.  As  long  as  Jerusalem  still  stood,  the  false 
prophets  indulged  presumptuous  hopes;  and  hindered  the 
growth  of  that  humility  and  penitence  which  the  captivity 
was  designed  to  produce.  Hence  his  discourses  were  de- 
nunciatory, and  full  of  warning,  during  this  time.  After 
the  city  had  actually  been  destroyed,  a  ministry  of  conso- 
lation was  needed  to  preserve  the  people  from  utter  despair. 
Up  to  the  fall  of  Jerusalem  his  ministry  was  like  that  of 
Jeremiah,  but  afterwards  it  entirely  changed. 

Ezekiel  and  Daniel. — (a)  Ezekiel  was  to  build  up  the 
theocracy  from  within,  Daniel  was  to  exhibit  the  kingdom 
of  God  in  its  conflict  with,  and  victory  over,  the  enemies 
of  God.  Both  use  figures,  (b)  Ezekiel  draws  his  symbols 
mainly  from  the  sanctuary  with  which  his  position  as  priest 
made  him  familiar.  Daniel  draws  from  other  sources.  (<?) 
There  is  the  same  variety  in  Messianic  predictions.    Ezekiel 


104 

sometimes  sets  them  forth  from  a  priestly  point  of  view. 
Daniel  exhibits  it  as  the  universal  and  unending  empire  of 
the  Son  of  Man.  These  prophets  note  the  exact  time  in 
which  their  prophecies  were  recorded,  and  sometimes  the 
very  month.  Ezekiel,  24  :  1-2,  tells  the  fact  of  the  siege 
of  Jerusalem  the  very  day  it  began.  The  exile  was  the 
conclusion  of  God's  dealings  with  the  Jews.  The-prophets 
preceding  the  exile  were  limited  to  the  judgments  wrought 
by  or  upon  Babylon.  Now  they  pass  from  the  Babylonish 
exile  to  the  future  troubles  of  Israel,  and  the  succession  of 
empire,  until  the  Messiah,  and  the  conversion  of  the  world. 
When  the  exile  was  at  hand,  it  was  necessary  to  prepare 
the  people  for  coming  events,  lest  they  should  suppose  that, 
with  the  exile,  all  was  lost.  This  opinion  it  was  necessary 
to  correct,  by  showing  that  a  long  period  must  intervene, 
succession  of  empires,  and  times  of  trouble  come,  before 
the  advent  of  the  Messiah. 


EZEKIEL. 

Fewer  details  are  given  of  Ezekiel  than  of  Daniel.  His 
work  was  spiritual,  and  the  events  of  his  life  had  no  special 
effect  upon  his  work.  The  record  of  his  life  is  found  in  his 
prophecy. 

Name. — '•  One  whose  God  strengthens  him."  He  was 
carried  captive  eight  years  after  Daniel  with  Jehoiachin. 
His  ministry  began  (ch.  1  :  1)  in  the  fifth  year  of  Jehoia- 
chin's  captivity,  (this  event  dated  from  rather  than  Zede- 
kiah's  reign),  the  year  after  Jeremiah's  message,  Jer.  51  : 
59,  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age,  Num.  4  :  3,  During 
the  early  portions  of  his  ministry,  he  was  a  contemporary 
of  Jeremiah  thirty  years.  This  was  not  from  the  first  year 
of  ISTabopolassar,  nor  from  the  last  jubilee,  nor  the  eigh- 
teenth year  of  Josiah.  1.  There  is  no  proof  that  these  were 
eras.  2.  There  is  no  other  date  reckoned  from  them.  3. 
If  intended  they  would  have  been  mentioned. 

Scene  of  Labors. — 3 :  15,  at  Tel-abib,  by  the  Chebar,  same 
as  Habor,  2  Kings  17  :  6.     Marriage,  24  :  18. 

Duration  of  Ministry. — Uncertain.  29  :  17,  is  the  latest 
date  of  the  book,  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  Jehoiachin's 
captivity.     The  people    were  hopefui  and  yet   rebellious. 


105 

But  the  effect  of  his  labors  was  shown  by:  1.  Frequent 
consultation  by  elders  and  others,  8  :  1 ;  14  :  1.  2.  Free- 
dom in  uttering  his  reproofs ;  3.  Moral  changes  effected  dur- 
ing the  exile.  His  Hebrew  has  more  anomalies  and  foreign 
forms  than  that  of  Daniel,  who  was  both  Hebrew  and 
Chaldee.  This  corruption  is  first  found  in  Jeremiah.  It 
was  natural  that  the  change  of  language  should  affect  the 
dialect  of  the  people. 

Divisions  of  the  Book. — I.  Before  the  capture  of  Jerusa- 
lem, chs.  1-24,  denunciatory.  II.  Respecting  foreign 
nations,  chs.  25-32.  III.  After  the  capture  of  Jerusalem, 
chs.  33-48,  promissory.  Opening  vision,  1:1;  3  :  15,  like 
Isa.  6  and  Rev.  4,  based  on  cherubim  over  the  ark.  De- 
sign not  merely  to  make  an  impression  of  majesty  and 
glory  but  as  preparation  for  this  specific  message.  The 
Mosaic  symbol  its  general  signification  :  The  God  of  crea- 
tion and  of  temple  present  in  profane  land  of  captivity,  and 
about  to  make  a  communication  to  the  prophet.  Modifica- 
cations,  its  particular  application:  (a)  life  and  swiftness; 
(b)  fire,  wrath,  qualified  by  rainbow  of  the  covenant.  Ver- 
bal commission  and  symbol  of  roll,  2:9;  3  :  S,cf.  Rev.  10  : 
9.  After  seven  days,  connected  prophecy  to  end  of  ch.  7  : 
Responsibilities  of  his  office,  four  symbolic  actions  followed 
by  denunciation  in  literal  terms;  (a)  tile,  besieged  city, 
warfare  ;  (b)  lie  bound  390  and  40  days.  Literal  perform- 
ance physically  impossible,  out  of  proportion  to  the  end, 
weaken  the  impression,  chronological  difficulty.  Not 
represent  da}7s  of  siege,  with  which  they  do  not  correspond, 
and  the  days  stand  for  years,  4  :  6,  either  of  sin  or  punish- 
ment;  how  reckoned,  (c)  bread,  (d)  hair.  Chs.  8-11,  one 
year  later.  Presumption  of  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  ;  effect 
on  exiles.  1.  The  crimes  of  Jerusalem  and  its  certain  de- 
struction, 8:1;  11  :  13.  2.  The  exiles  are  God's  true  cove- 
nant people,  11  :  14-21.  Profanation  of  temple,  not  per- 
haps actual,  scenes  of  single  idolatrous  festival,  or  various 
forms  of  idolatry  gathered  there,  but  ideal  concentration. 
(a)  Lev.  16  :  16-19  ;  {b)  Ex.  20  :  3  ;  (c)  temple  was  Judah's 
place  of  worship  ;  (d)  justified  by  actual  profanation  at  dif- 
ferent times.  Image  of  jealousy,  chamber  of  imagery, 
Jaazaniah,  Tammuz,  five  and  twenty  men.  Six  men  with 
the  man  in  linen.  Five  and  twenty  men  at  the  east  gate, 
Pelatiah,  son  of  Benaiah.  Promises  to  exiles,  (a)  God  will 
be  a  sanctuary  to  them,  11  :  16  ;  (b)  bring  them  back  to 
land  of  Israel,  v.   17;  (c)  give  them   a   new  heart,  v.  19. 


106 

Glory  of  God  forsakes  the  temple.  Denunciations  contin- 
ued until  the  day  that  Jerusalem  is  besieged,  ch.  24.  Seven 
foreign  nations,  chs.  25-32.  Amnion,  Moab,  Edom,  Phil- 
istia,  Tyre,  Zidon,  Egypt.  Promises  :  I.  Deliverance  from 
foes,  chs.  33-39.  II.  Restoration  of  the  theocracy,  chs.  40- 
48.  I.  Evening  preceding  news  of  fall  of  city,  second 
formal  call  of  prophet,  ch.  33  ;  deliverance  from  wicked 
rulers,  David  their  shepherd,  ch.  34 ;  from  present  foes, 
Edom  denounced, contrasted  blessedness  of  Israel,  valley  of 
dry  bones,  union  of  the  two  sticks,  chs.  35-37  ;  from  future 
foes,  Gog  and  Magog,  chs.  38,  39.  II.  Fourteenth  year 
after  the  city  was  smitten,  1st  month  and  10th  day. 

Different  Opinions. — 1.  Historical,  of  what  had  been.  2. 
Mandatory,  for  the  direction  of  the  exiles.  3.  Prophetic. 
It  can  not  be  literal.  1.  Historical,  for  (a)  it  did  not  cor- 
respond with  what  had  been  ;  (b)  unnecessary  if  it  referred 
to  the  past  ;  (c)  the  language  prevents  such  reference.  2. 
It  is  not  mandatory,  because  the  exiles  did  not  follow  the 
commands.  3.  It  can  not  be  prophetic,  for  this  would  be 
contrary  to  the  declarations  of  N.  T.  and  the  intimations  of 
O.  T.  If  prophetic,  it  would  predict  the  return  of  the 
Christian  church  to  Jewish  forms,  but  the  Jewish  ritual  is 
abolished  by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  and  the  providence  of 
God.  It  is  symbolic  and  ideal,  for  :  1.  The  original  temple 
was  symbolical  :  made  use  of  symbolically  by  Ezekiel  else- 
where, Jer.  31  :  38-40.  2.  It  yields  a  good  and  proper 
sense.  3.  There  are  many  things  in  the  vision  which  could 
not  be  carried  out  literally,  e.  g.,  the  size  of  Jerusalem  and 
the  temple  ;  the  stream  proceeding  from  the  temple  and 
healing  the  nations.  4.  It  is  like  Rev.  21  :  22.  In  fact 
Rev.  seems  to  be  a  commentary  on  this  passage.  Rev.  is 
symbolic. 

II.  40-48,  This  last  vision  was  at  the  beginning  of  the 
year  (40:1.)  These  chapters  contain  1.  Description  of  the 
temple.  2.  Ritual  service  in  the  temple  ;  3.  final  appor- 
tionment of  the  land.  Some  take  literal  views,  others 
regard  the  temple  as  ideal. 

This  section  is  divided  :  (1.)  40-43  :  12,  Measure  of  the 
temple,  The  church  of  God  is  to  be  re-established  on  the 
earth.  Ezekial's  temple  in  the  vision  differs  from  Solo- 
mon's real  temple,  (a)  in  dimensions,  which  are  enlarged, 
(b)  Ezekiel  gives  more  prominence  to  subordinate  facts. 
Nothing  is  left  to  the  choice  or  direction  of  the  builders. 
He  gives  a  great  deal  of  time  to  the  gates,  the  doors,  the 


107 

courts,  etc.  These  inferior  parts  have  a  new  and  sacred 
importance  connected  with  them.  The  court  is  exalted  to 
a  sacred  pre-eminence  corresponding  to  the  Holy  of  Holies 
in  Solomon's  temple,  43  :  1.  In  the  new  temple  the  glory 
of  God  is  never  to  depart.  In  the  old  it  did,  11 :  23.  (2.) 
43:  13;  47:  12.  This  division  gives  a  description  of  the 
holy  service.  Priests,  people  and  rulers  should  all  be 
united  in  the  worship,  47:  1-12.  The  trees  by  the  stream 
of  life  remind  us  of  Paradise.  To  represent  the  blessings 
brought  by  this  stream  it  is  spoken  of  as  flowing  to  dead 
localities,  even  to  the  Dead  Sea,  which  shall  be  purified,  the 
Dead  Sea  being  the  symbol  of  all  that  is  vile  and  lifeless. 
Even  this  shall  be  vitalized  and  beautified  by  this  stream  of 
life.  The  only  places  not  reclaimed  are  those  not  reached 
by  this  stream.  (3.)  47:  13;  48:  35.  Concluding  Por- 
tion, Division  of  the  land  among  the  twelve  tribes.  Two 
points  of  difference  from  the  real  division.  (a)  Unifor- 
mity of  division.  All  have  an  equal  portion  from  W.  to 
E.j  and  all  are  on  the  W.  side  of  the  Jordan.  No  tribe  is 
preferred  above  another,  47  :  22,23;  Rev.  7 :  5-8.  It  is 
even  said  that  strangers  dwelling  among  them  shall  have 
equal  privileges,  (b)  Ezekiel'a  division  leaves  nothing  to 
the  decision  of  men,  but  all  fixed  b\'  God.  We  can  not 
conclude  'that  the  Christian  church  is  ever  to  return  to 
Judaic  forms.  This  last  portion  shows  how  O.  T.  forms 
may  set  forth  1ST.  T.  things. 


DANIEL. 

The  name  signifies  "  God's  judge,"  i.  e.,  ';  one  who  de- 
livers God's  judgments."  According  to  1 :  1,  Daniel  was 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  of  princely  descent.  He  was 
carried  away  in  the  first  deportation  by  Nebuchadnezzar, 
eight  years  before  Ezekiel.  Carried  away  at  the  beginning 
of  the  exile,  he  survived  its  close,  but  did  not  return,  proba- 
bly because  of  advanced  age.  He  was  a  favorite  of 
Nebuchadnezzar  on  account  of  his  wisdom  and  supernatural 
endowments,  which  are  referred  to  by  Ezekiel,  chs.  14  :  14  ; 
28  :  3.  He  was  set  aside  by  Belshazzar,  and  reinstated  by 
Darius.  The  ministry  of  Daniel  was  mainly  external,  in 
reference  to  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  in  conflict  with 
the  kingdom  and  people  of  God. 


108 

Divisions  of  the  Book. — 1 :  1-6.  Personal  history  of 
Daniel  and  his  friends,  historical.  2  :  7-12.  National, 
prophetical  visions.  The  book  does  not  profess  to  be  a 
history  of  the  exile,  or  a  connected  biography  of  Daniel, 
but  a  series  of  pictures  of  exile  life.  2:  4;  7:  28,  is  in 
Chaldee  ;  the  rest  of  the  book  is  in  Hebrew.  The  number 
and  greatness  of  its  miracles  mark  it  out  as  a  special  object 
of  hostility  to  skeptics.  Celsus  and  Porphyry,  English 
deists  and  German  rationalists,  have  attacked  it,  and  the 
book  has  been  referred  to  the  time  of  the  Maccabees.  The 
best  treatise  in  reply  to  the  following  objections  is  Heng- 
stenberg's  "  Authenticity  of  Daniel." 

Objections.  1.  Greek  words  :  (a)  their  number  exagger- 
ated ;  (b)  readily  accounted  for  ;  (c)  like  charge  against  still 
older  books  of  Bible  ;  (d)  abandoned  as  untenable.  2. 
Position  in  canon,  (a)  Division  of  canon  not  chronological; 
(b)  Jewish  tradition  ;  (c)  accounts  for  nothing,  true  explan- 
ation. 3.  Needless  multiplication  of  miracles.  But  (a) 
needed  by  people  ;  (b)  prepared  the  way  for  their  restora- 
tion ;  (c)  present  effect  on  the  heathen  ;  (d)  future  consola- 
tion. 4.  Definite  dates  and  minute  details  of  the  prophe- 
cies, (a)  Naturalistic  views;  (b)  explicitness  of  other 
prophecies,  70  years'  captivity,  65  years  Ephraim,  3  years 
Moab,  15  years  Hezekiah,  fall  of  Babylon,  Zechariah  9 : 
13,  same  conflict  with  kingdom  of  Greece  ;  (c)  provide  for 
the  future  wants  of  the  people.  5.  Definite  predictions 
only  to  death  of  Antiochus;  (a)  like  limitation  in  other 
prophecies,  Jacob,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Zechariah  ; 
(b)  date  of  Messiah's  adveut,  rise  of  Roman  empire.  6. 
Self-laudation,  but  (a)  so  Moses,  Paul ;  (b)  impartiality  of 
sacred  writers  ;  (c)  Daniel  relates  facts  or  repeats  words  of 
others.  Proofs  of  genuineness.  1.  Purports  to  have  been 
written  by  Daniel ;  1st  person  in  second  part,  and  unity  of 
the  wdiole  shown  by  consistent  plan,  like  expressions,  recip- 
rocal allusions,  change  of  language :  can  neither  be  fiction 
nor  fraud.  2.  Canon  closed  in  time  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah. 
3.  Our  Lord  Son  of  Man,  kingdom  of  heaven,  Mat.  24: 
15,  30;  26:  64;  John  5:  28,  29;  Apostles  Heb.  11:  33, 
34;  1  Cor.  6:  2;  2  Thes.  2:  3;  1  Pet.  1:  10-12,  Revela- 
tion. 4.  Josephus,  1  Mace,  Greek  version.  5.  Character 
of  the  Hebrew,  of  the  Chaldee,  use  of  both  languages  as 
in  Ezra.  6.  Acquaintance  with  the  history,  shewn  in 
character  of  Daniel,  Nebuchadnezzar,  Darius,  Belshazzar, 
no   error  in   dates,  Nebuchadnezzar's  adorning  Babylon, 


109 

prophetic  dream,  insanity,  circumstances  of  Babylon's 
capture,  Darius  the  Mede,  120  princes,  Mecles  and  Persians, 
Persians  and  Mecles.  7.  Knowledge  of  customs;  land  of 
Shinar,  3  :  2,  fed  from  king's  table,  changing  names  of 
Daniel  and  his  companions,  years  of  Nebuchadnezzar's 
reign,  punishments,  colossal  image,  music,  women  at  enter- 
tainments, gold  chain,  king's  edicts  immutable,  the  magi. 
9.  Abundance  of  symbols  as  in  Ezekiel  ;  book  inconsistent 
with  assumed  Maccabean  origin. 

Prophecies.  The  disclosures  in  the  second  and  seventh 
chapters  are  parallel.  The  second  chapter  has  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's dream  —  four  empires,  Babylon,  Medo-Persia, 
Macedon,  Rome.  The  seventh  chapter  contains  the  vision 
of  the  four  beasts — the  same  four  empires.  The  lion  with 
eagle's  wings  =  Babylon.  The  bear  with  three  ribs=the 
Medo-Persian;  greedily  ravenous  propensity.  The  leopard 
with  four  wings  and  four  heads  =  the  Macedonian  Empire, 
portioned  into  Syria,  Egypt,  Thrace  and  Macedon.  A  non- 
descript animal  with  ten  horns  and  a  little  horn  =  the  Ro- 
man empire,  whose  attack  no  animal  is  fierce  enough  to 
withstand.  Ten  horns  indicate  ten  successive  kings,  and 
the  little  horn-— Antichrist.  St.  John  sees  only  one  beast, 
which  represents  all  Daniel's  beasts  in  one.  The  seven 
heads  of  John's  beast  represent  the  seven  empires  in  which 
one  ungodly  power  was  embodied.  The  Apostle  says  five 
had  already  existed,  Egypt,  Assyria,  Babylon,  Syria, 
Macedon.  The  one  standing  in  Rome.  Another  is  yet  to 
come.  The  interpretation  so  depends  on  historical  facts 
that  all  orthodox  writers  agree  as  to  its  meaning.  Skep- 
tics have  invented  other  meanings  for  symbols.  They  are, 
1.  To  divide  the  Msdo-Persian  empire  into  two.  But  (a) 
this  was  only  one.  Media  and  Persia  were  the  same  empire. 
Persians  were  confederated  with  the  Medes,  the  only 
change  being  that  of  the  reigning  family.  (6)  It  is  always 
thus  spoken  by  of  profane  and  sacred  writers;  Esther; 
Daniel  5  :  28  ;  6  :  8  ;  12  :  15.  (e)  The  skeptics  make  the 
leopard  represent  th'e  Persian  empire ;  but  the  leopard  has 
four  heads,  and  the  Persian  empire  was  not  so  divided.  2. 
To  divide  the  Macedonian  empire  into  two,  Babylonian,  and 
Medo-Persian,  the  Macedonian  empire  of  Alexander,  and 
those  of  his  successors  being  made  separate.  But  («)  the 
leopard  with  four  heads  represents  the  empire  broken  into 
four  parts,  (b)  The  fourth  empire  is  stronger  and  more 
terrible  than  its  predecessors,  cf.  8  :  22;  11:  4.     (c)    Then 


110 

no  explanation  would  be  given  of  the  ten  horns. 

Chs.  8-12  are  supplementary.  In  chap.  8,  the  ram= 
Syria.  The  he-goat=the  Macedonian  empire.  The  horn 
between  his  eyes  =  Alexander  the  Great.  The  four  horns 
springing  up=Syria,  Egypt,  Thrace,  Macedon,  into  which 
the  empire  was  divided  at  Alexander's  death.  Out  of  the 
Syrian  kingdom  grew  a  little  horn  which  waxed  greater. 
This  was  Antiochus  Epiphanes  who  was  monarch  of  the 
kingdom,  the  persecutor  of  the  Jews. 

Ch.  9,  revealed  in  the  first  year  of  Darius  the  Mede, 
which  is  the  69th  year  of  the  captivity.  The  prophet  was 
praying  for  the  restoration  of  the  people  when  further, full 
disclosures  were  made  to  him.  It  might  be  supposed  that 
immediately,  at  the  expiration  of  the  captivity,  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah  would  come.  But  the  angel  tells  the 
prophet  that  the  seventy  weeks  are  about  gone,  but  that 
there  are  }7et  to  come  seventy  more  years  to  finish  the  trans- 
gression by  atonement.  All  relates  to  the  work  of  Christ. 
Within  these  seventy  weeks  of  years,  all  these  Messianic 
functions  shall  be  performed.  This  is  made  more  precise 
by  dividing  these  seventy  weeks  into  three  periodsof  seven, 
sixty-two,  and  one  weeks.  He  informs  us  from  what  point 
of  time  the  seventy  weeks  are  to  date,  viz.,  the  going  forth 
of  the  commandment  to  rebuild  Jerusalem.  This  is  not 
the  permission  of  Cyrus  to  return  to  their  own  land.  Down 
to  the  time  of  Nehemiah,  the  city  was  still  in  ruins,  ISTeh. 
2:  3.  The  first  effectual  measures  were  taken  by  him, 
after  that  he  receive  permission  to  rebuild,  Neh.  2  :  5,  6,  in 
the  twentieth  year  of  Artaxerxes  Longimanus.  This  is  the 
exact  time  from  which  the  seventy  weeks  were  to  begin. 
There  is  some  difference  among  historians  as  to  the  length 
of  Artaxerxes'  reign.  Hengstenberg  goes  into  an  elaborate 
argument,  to  show  that  the  time  of  the  prophecy  was  exact. 
The  entire  restoration  of  the  city  would  be  accomplished 
though  in  the  midst  of  much  trouble.  After  sixty-nine 
weeks  would  be  the  Messiah's  public  appearance  ;  in  the 
midst  of  the  last  week.  His  effectual  sacrifice,  followed  by 
destruction  of  the  city  and  sanctuary.  What  distinctly 
belongs  to  the  last  week  is  shown  in  9:  27. 

Chs.  10-12.  The  last  vision  of  the  book.  In  the  third 
year  of  Cyrus,  Daniel  was  in  mourning  because  of  the 
events  in  Ezek.  4  :  1-5.  The  subject  of  ch.  8  is  here  re- 
sumed and  dwelt  upon  in  literal  language.  Prediction  in 
Mteral  terms  of  the  overthrow  of  the  Persian   empire  by 


Ill 

Alexander.  Division  of  his  empire  at  his  death.  Persecu- 
tion of  Autiochus  set  forth.  As  a  relief  from  these  dark 
pictures  he  gives  the  brightness  of  the  future,  the  resuv- 
rection  and  external  glory,  Reluctant  testimony  of  skep- 
tics to  the  truth  of  the  prophecies.  Apocryphal  sections 
are  added  in  the  Septuagint. 

PERIOD  OF  THE  RESTORATION. 

The  period  of  captivity  is  now  over.  The  decree  has 
been  procured  from  Cyrus  that  the  Jews  may  return  to 
their  own  land.  Ezekiel  has  prepared  the  people  inwardly 
for  their  return,  and  for  the  establishment  of  the  forms  of 
the  theocracy.  The  people  had  been  sifted  at  the  close  as 
at  the  beginning  of  the  exile.  The  work  of  Ezekiel  and 
Daniel  had  been  amongst  this  better  class.  It  was  the  bet- 
ter and  more  pious  people  who  would  leave  their  houses 
and  return  to  Jerusalem  to  rebuild  that  desolated  city. 
Returning  to  their  own  land,  new  opposition  meets  them 
from  the  Samaritans,  and  other  enemies.  The  exiles  were 
under  strong  temptation,  therefore,  to  succumb  to  despair. 
Haggai  and  Zechariah  cheer  them  under  present  trials  and 
discouragements,  by  showing  :  1.  That  their  present  weak- 
ness was  no  indication  that  God  was  not  with  them.  For 
in  spite  of  present  adversities  they  should  rise  higher  than 
ever  before.  They  were  shown  also  that  the  heathen 
nations  should  be  brought  low,  and  pour  in  their  resources 
to  them  ;  Ezra  5  :  1 ;  6 :  14.  2.  The  altered  condition  and 
disposition  of  the  heathen  nations.  Haggai  and  Zechariah 
appear  to  be  summoned  to  the  prophetic  office  within  one 
month  of  each  other,  and  they  labored  together.  The  book 
of  Zechariah,  indeed,  seems  to  be  an  expansion  of  the 
smaller  one  of  Haggai.  It  was  the  mission  of  both  to 
show  the  people  that  their  present  condition  was  due  to 
temporary  causes,  and  should  not  last  forever.  But  in 
comforting  the  people,  and  in  promising  them  that  there 
was  danger  that  they  would  think  the  glory  was  to  come 
immediately,  Zechariah  prepares  them  for  additional 
troubles  before  the  promises  should  be  fulfilled,  and  de- 
clares how  signally  they  would  be  delivered  out  of  them. 
He  dwells  chiefly  on  the  external  condition  of  the  people. 

Malaclii  is  different.  The  people  must  not  think  that 
the  divine  blessing  would  be  given  to  them  without  regard 
to  their  own  character.     The  altered  tones  of  the  prophe- 


112 

cies  grew  out  of  the  different  circumstances  in  which  they 
were  uttered.  The  ministry  of  Malachi  was  later  than  that 
of  Zechariah  and  Haggai;  and  the  temple  had  been  built, 
but  the  long  years  of  suffering  had  brought  to  light  certain 
evil  tendencies.  It  had  shown  a  measure  of  "hypocrisy. 
These  must  be  removed  if  they  would  enjoy  the  blessing 
which  the  older  prophets  had  predicted.  Thus  we  have 
the  O.  T.  prophets  forming  themselves  into  a  grand  scheme, 
and  each  period  forming  the  preparation  for  "that  to  come. 
The  prophets  are,  therefore,  not  isolated  individuals,  but 
are  to  carry  forward  from  age  to  age  one  divine  scheme. 


HAGGAI. 

The  name  signifies  "a  feast."  A  relation  has  been 
found  or  fancied  in  the  fact  that  he  labored  for  the  restora- 
tion of  the  feast  of  the  Jewish  rituals.  He  is  mentioned  in 
Ezra  5:1;  6  :  14.  The  duration  of  his  ministry  is  unknown. 
The  discourses  in  his  book  were  all  delivered  within  four 
months.  It  would  be  precarious  to  say  from  this  that  his 
ministry  lasted  only  four  months,  as  it  would  be,  from 
Ezra  6 :  14,  to  say  that  it  lasted  through  the  entire  reign. 

There  are  four  discourses,  the  dates  of  all  which  are 
accurately  given.  It  is  not  probable  that  these  are  the  only 
discourses  he  ever  uttered.  They  are  the  only  ones  for  the 
benefit  of  the  church  in  the  time  to  come.  Cyrus  had  no 
sooner  died,  than  the  adversaries  obtained  from  the  king 
decrees  adverse  to  the  building  of  the  temple.  Haggai 
strives  to  waken  them  to  courage,  to  the  rebuilding  of  the 
temple.  These  discourses  were  delivered  in  the  second 
year  of  Darius. 

The  first  (ch.  1)  was  addressed  to  Zerubbabel,  governor 
of  Judah,  and  to  Joshua,  the  high-priest,  Hag.  1:1.  It 
reprimanded  them  for  the  suspension  in  the  building  of 
God's  house,  while  they  content  themselves  with  dwelling 
in  their  own  houses.  He  urges  them  to  go  at  once  and 
bring  wood  to  build  the  house.  The  effect  was  that  the 
people  began  that  same  month  to  build. 

The  second  discourse  (2  :  1-9)  there  was  danger  that  the 
people  who  had  seen  the  former  temple  would  despise  the 
latter  one;  and  there  is  need  that  Haggai  should  tell  them 
that  the  glory  of  this  latter  house  would   be   greater  than 


113 

the  former.  This  universal  shaking  of  all  nations  includes 
convulsions  to  take  place  through  all  the  world.  It  is  the 
convulsion  of  states  and  nations  which  is  shown  forth,  and 
it  is  to  take  place  for  the  glory  of  God.  The  people  of 
God  were  weak.  Their  enemies  were  powerful.  But  the 
shaking  of  the  world  would  begin  in  a  little  while,  and  it 
should  be  destroyed.  After  all  had  been  shaken  down,- 
God's  house  should  remain.  The  design  for  which  this  is 
to  take  place  should  fill  this  house  with  glory.  A  common 
interpretation  is  that  "  the  desire  of  all  nations"  (2  :  7)  is 
the  Messiah.  Therefore  the  meaning  would  be,  that  the 
shaking  of  all  nations  would  be  in  order  that  "  the  desire  of 
all  nations,"  i.  e.,  the  Messiah  should  come.  There  are 
many  things  attractive  in  this  interpretation,  and  it  coin- 
cides well  with  the  result.  Still  an  inspection  of  the 
prophet's  language  in  the  original  will  do  away  with  this 
interpretation.  The  verb  "come  "  agreeing  with  "  desire 
of  all  nations,"  is  in  the  plural,  though  the  noun  "desire" 
is  in  the  singular,  feminine.  The  agreement,  therefore,  is 
in  sense  and  not  in  letter.  "  The  desire  of  all  nations  "  is, 
in  the  Septuagint,  "  the  most  desirable  of  all  nations  ;"  that 
is,  the  result  will  be  the  conversion  of  the  choicest  nations. 
This  is  closely  allied  to  the  real  meaning.  "The  desire  of 
all  nations  " — those  things  that  the  nations  desire — their 
valuables.  It  is  applied  to  jewels  and  other  precious  ob- 
jects. The  present  structure  seems  mean  and  poor  in  com- 
parison with  the  temple  of  Solomon,  but  the  prophet  tells 
them  that  God  would  shake  down  all  nations  till  they 
should  lose  their  hostility  to  Him.  And  they  would  delight 
to  help  Israel  to  fill  the  house  of  God  with  glory.  They 
should  bring  their  treasures  to  it,  or  more  probably  the 
glory — the  treasures  themselves.  In  order  to  assure  them 
of  His  ability  to  accomplish  this,  He  adds  further  promises. 
Consequently  at  any  time  He  pleases,  He  can  give  peace  to 
His  people.  Upon  this  interpretation  we  are  not  clear  to 
the  very  letter  of  the  passage.  The  real  temple  signifies 
the  spiritual. 

Third  discourse,  2  :  10-19.  This  relates  to  the  first  dis- 
course. Everything  is  vitiated  by  their  former  neglect,  but 
God's  blessing  will  attend  their  reviving  zeal. 

Fourth  discourse,  2  :  20-23.  It  is  related  to  the  second. 
The  shaking  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  overthrow 
of  hostile  kingdoms,  while  Zerubbabel,  as  the  representa- 
tive of  the  royal  house  of  David,  is  chosen  and  protected. 


114 

ZECHARIAH. 

Name,  parentage,  priestly  descent,  age,  beginning  of 
ministry,  its  duration.  Matt.  23  :  35.  Three  parts  :  1.  Chs. 
1-6,  series  of  visions.  2.  Chs.  7,  8,  answer  to  a  question 
proposed  by  the  people.  3.  Chs.  9-14,  prophecies  in  literal 
terms  relating  to  future  fortunes  of  God's  people.  Difficulty 
in  the  citation,  Matt.  27  :  9  :  various  solutions,  Zechariah 
not  the  author,  error  in  transcription,  a  peculiar  order  of 
the  prophets,  combined  reference  to  two  passages.  Genu- 
ineness of  chs.  9-14;  objections:  (a)  style  and  character; 
(b)  incidental  allusions,  Judah  and  Israel,  11  :  14,  or 
Ephraim,  9:13;  10  :  6,  7 ;  but  see  1  •  19  ;  8  :  13,  Ezek.  37  : 
16;  king  of  Gaza,  9:  5,  Assyria  and  Egypt,  10:10,  11; 
idolatry,  10  :  2  ;  13  :  2.  ISTo  allusion  to  any  king  in  Judah. 
Position  in  this  book  not  explicable  otherwise.  I.  Chs. 
1-6,  eight  visions.  First,  1  :  7-17,  man  on  red  horse  ;  sec- 
ond, 1 7  8-21,  four  horns  and  carpenters  ;  third,  ch.  2,  mea- 
suring line  ;  fourth,  ch.  3,  high-priest  in  filthy  garments ; 
fifth,  ch.  4,  candlestick  and  two  olive  trees;  sixth,  5  :  1-4, 
flying  roll  ;  seventh,  5  :  5-11,  woman  in  an  ephah;  eighth, 
6  :  1-8,  chariots  issuing  from  between  two  mountains. 
Symbolical  section,  6 :  9-15,  the  crowned  priest.  II.  Chs. 
7,  8,  continued  observance  of  fasts ;  7  :  4-14,  rebuke  of 
spirit  in  which  they  had  been  kept;  ch.  8,  happy  future. 
III.  Chs.  9-14,  scenes  from  future  fortunes  of  God's  peo- 
ple, from  their  protection  in  the  time  of  Alexander  to  final 
overthrow  of  all  enemies.  Ch.  9  :  burden  of  Hadrach, 
pledge  of  protection,  vs.  9,  10  in  Zion's  King,  Maccabean 
deliverance,  v.  13.  Ch.  11 :  Desolation  of  land,  vs.  1-3,  its 
predicted  cause,  vs.  4-14,  the  treatment  of  the  good  shep- 
herd, Beauty  and  Bands,  three  shepherds  cut  off,  his  price  ; 
vs.  15-17,  abandoned  to  foolish  shepherd.  Chs.  12,  13  : 
Jerusalem  assailed,  delivered,  outpouring  of  spirit,  mourn- 
ing by  families,  fountain  opened,  sin  abandoned;  judg- 
ment to  follow  the  smiting  of  the  shepherd.  Ch.  14  : 
Jerusalem  besieged  by  all  nations,  taken,  miraculous  rescue, 
living  waters,  judgment  on  gathered  foes,  universal  conse- 
cration. 


115 

MALACHI. 

Name,  date,  self-righteousness  of  people  (a)  claiming 
that  they  had  fulfilled  their  duty  ;  (b)  demanding  a  better 
recompense.  Two  parts  :  1.1:  2;  2:  16,  their  obligations 
and  sins;  (a)  1:  2-5,  their  obligations  to  God  ;  (b)  1  :  6; 
2  :  9,  sins  directly  against  God  ;  (<?)  2  :  10-16,  against  their 
brethren.  II.  2:  17;  4  :  6,  the  judgment  and  recompense  : 
(a)  2 :  17  ;  3  :  6,  severity  of  the  test  which  the  Lord  shall 
apply  at  his  coming  ;  messenger  to  prepare  the  way,  Angel 
of  the  covenant,  Christ  contemplated  not  as  a  redeemer  but 
a  judge;  {b)  3:  7-12,  their  desert  of  the  curse  with  which 
they  had  been  visited;  (c)  3  :  13;  4:  6,  distinction  to  be 
made  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked.  Elijah  ;  the 
last  of  the  prophets  ends  with  the  announcement  of  the 
herald  of  the  new  dispensation. 


MICAH. 

Name,  Morasthite,  in  days  of  Jotham,  Ahaz  and  Heze- 
kiah.  Title  disputed,  (a)  from  form  of  prophet's  name. 
But  various  forms  used  interchangeably  in  same  passage  : 
and  masoretic  note  to  Jer.  26  :  18  no  proof  of  later  usage; 
(b)  from  subject  of  prophecy,  but  see  1  :  5,  6;  (c)  from  Jer. 
26 :  18,  but  this  does  not  limit  his  ministry  to  reign  of 
Hezekiah;  (d)  from  contents  of  book,  but  disagreement  of 
those  who  allege  it;  4:  9,10  does  not  refer  to  carrying 
away  of  Manasseh  ;  denial  of  prophetic  foresight. 

Summary  of  prophet's  ministry,  not  distinct  discourses. 
Three  sections  ch.  1,  2,  chs.  3-5,  chs.  6,  7.  In  the  first 
judgment  preponderates,  and  negative  side  of  coming  sal- 
vation. In  the  second,  mercy,  the  positive  salvation,  per- 
son of  Messiah.  In  the  third,  the  threatenings  justified, 
and  promises  appropriated. 


117 

1st.  The  logical  method  ;  when  events  are  grouped 
agreeably  to  their  affinities  or  their  relation  of  cause  and 
effect ;  irrespective  of  their  chronological -position.  Thus 
a  denunciation  of  the  penalty  may  immediately  follow  upon 
a  charge  of  sin,  because  they  are  indissohibly  Jinked 
together,  whatever  interval  of  time  may  separate  them. 

Any  event  in  the  progress  of  God's  plan  of  grace  may 
be  set  in  connection  with  the  ultimate  result  to  which  it 
looks,  and  of  which  it  is  a  necessary  or  important  ante- 
cedent. The  curse  upon  Canaan,  Gen.  9  :  25,  did  not  enter 
upon  its  accompi'shment  until  agesafterit  had  been  uttered. 
The  promise  to  the  patriarchs,  Gen.  26  :  4,  was  that  they 
should  have  a  numerous  posterity,  possess  the  land  of  their 
sojonrniiigs,  and  all  nations  be  blessed  in  them.  The  sal- 
vation of  the  world  is  here  joined  ivith  the  multiplication 
of  their  descendants  and  their  settlements  in  Canaan,  and 
there  is  no  intimation  that  the  events  may  not  be' simulta- 
neous or  immediately  successive.  Habakkuk,  2  :  14,  fall 
of  Babylon  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  filling  the  earth  ;  the 
destruction  of  that  great  oppressing  power  one  of  the  neces- 
sary antecedents  to  the  perfect  triumph  and  universality  of 
the  Kingdom  of  God. 

The  prophets  often  present  events  in  classes  according 
to  their  respective  characters.  Joel  throws  together  all  the 
evils  to  be  experienced  by  the  chosen  people  under  the 
symbol  of  the  ravages  of  locusts  ;  then  the  blessings  they 
were  to  experience;  and  lastly,  the  judgments  upon  their 
foes.  Yet  these  three  were  intermingled  throughout  the 
entire  course  of  history.  Cf.  Is.  10  :  11  ;  40  :  66;  Jerem. 
33;   Messiah  and  return  from  Babylon.    Zech.  9  :  8,  9. 

2d.  The  complex  method  :  events,  which  occupy  long 
periods  in  their  performance  and  advance  by  successive 
stages,  are  condensed  into  a  single  picture.  The  character- 
istic features  which  it  assumes  at  different  periods,  belong 
still  to  one  common  subject,  and  are  properly  included  in 
its  complete  delineation.  Thus,  the  fall  of  a  great  empire 
is  commonly  not  accomplished  in  a  moment.  The  heavy 
blow  which  initiates  the  process  of  decline  may  be  separa- 
ted by  centuries  from  the  complete  ruin.  The  prophets 
give  to  the  whole  its  unit)'  and  connection  by  exhibiting  it 
in  a  single  scene.  Isaiah,  13  :  17-22  links  the  capture  of 
Babylon  by  the  Medes  with  its  final  and  utter  desolation  ;. 
its  decline  began  with  the  conquest  of  Cyrus,  although  it 
continued  for  a  long  time  to  flourish. 


118 

The  prophets  often  link  divine  judgments  upon  partic- 
ular nations  with  the  filial  judgment  upon  the  whole  world; 
these  different  acts  being  but  parts  of  the  one  continued  exer- 
cise of  his  primitive  justice.  Is.  13  :  6-13,  fall  of  Babylon 
•connected  with  the  day  of  the  Lord  when  the  sun  and  stars 
shall  be  darkened  and  the  earth  removed  out  of  its  place. 
Mat.  24,  destruction  of  Jerusalem  linked  with  end  of  the 
world.  Zach.  9  :  9,  10,  Christ  riding  upon  an  ass  and 
reigning  from  sea  to  sea;  his  work,  in  humiliation  and  ex- 
altation, being  viewed  in  its  totality.  Cf.  Joel,  2  :  28-32, 
the  beginning  and  end  of  the  Messianic  period  is  presented 
in  its  unity, 

3d.  The  ap^telesmatie  method  ;  the  last  of  a  long  series 
of  events  is  described  to  the  exclusion  of  the  others,  in 
ordei  to  exhibit  the  matter  in  its  mature  form.  As  the  po- 
litical philosopher  often  neglects  to  describe  a  constitution 
in  its  earlier  and  and  undeveloped  form,  speaking  of  it  only 
in  its  completion  ;  so  the  prophets  most  frequently  pre- 
sent the  Kingdom  of  Christ  in  its  triumph  and  glory.  It 
is  to  be  judged  by  what  it, shall  be  when  all  opposition  is 
vanquished,  and  it  is  allowed,  without  restraint  or  foreign 
commixture,  to  put  on  its  own  proper  form  and  to  reveal 
its  true  nature.  Is.  11,  rod  of  Jesse  immediately  followed 
by  the  wolf  dwelling  with  the  lamb.     Cf.  Dan.  2  :  44. 

4th.  The  generic  method  ;  predictions  are  made,  not 
of  an  individual  event,  but  of  a  series,  in  each  of  which 
they  have  a  separate  fulfilment.  They  aro  commonly  such 
as  reveal  a  principle  in  the  divine  administration,  which 
secures  a  fixed  result  from  given  antecedents;  as  often  as 
the  conditions  exist,  so  often  will  the  predicted  conse- 
quence follow.     Jesus  announced  this  rule,  Matt    24  :  28. 

Deut.  4  :  25,  ft',  transgression  to  be  punished  at  tne 
hands  of  the  heathen,  and  mercy  to  follow  repentance; 
again  and  again  fulfilled.  So,  too,  Is.  40  :  3,  "  voice  cry- 
ing, prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord."  So,  too,  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit,  Joel,  2  :'28. 

Three  varieties  of  the  generic  prophecy  : 

(1.)  One  event,  as  being  important  or  most  fully  realiz- 
ing the  common  idea,  is  alone  described.  Deut.  18  :  18,  the 
expressions  employed  are  applicable  to  all  the  prophets, 
bur  find  their  highest  application  in  Christ. 

(2.)  No  one  of  the  events  exactly  represented,  but  in- 
dividual traits  borrowed  from  many  in  the  series  and  blend- 
ed. 


119 

2  Sam.  7  :  12-16,  the  perpetual  royalty  of  David's  seed 
includes  all  his  descendants  who  sat  upon  the  theocratic 
throne,  and  also  Christ.  Some  of  the  expressions  are  con- 
formed to  one,  others  to  another  of  the  subjects  to  which 
it  was  intended  to  apply.  In  the  later  prophecies  of  Isaiah, 
"  the  servant  of  the  Lord  "  applies  to  the  chosen  people 
and  to  the  Redeemer ;  they  had  the  common  commission 
to  perpetuate  and  spread  the  true  religion.  Israel  had  a 
part  in  these  predictions,  for  his  name  is  given  to  this 
"servant,"  49:3;  and  he  is  charged  with  unfaithfulness, 
42  :  19.  Yet  the  title  belongs  in  its  high  sense  only  to  the 
Messiah,  for  the  vicarious  atonement  is  ascribed  to  him,  53. 
The  fulfilment  by  Israel  falls  within  the  prediction,  but  the 
work  of  the  Messiah  is  coincident  with  it. 

No  rr^stical  or  hidden  sense  is  in  the  words,  the  same 
fact  or  principle,  which  is  represented  in  the  one,  appears 
likewise,  but  in  greater  perfection  in  the  other.  One  of  the 
events  may  even  be  past.  Thus  the  Messianic  psalms  have 
a  partial  application  to  experiences  of  David  and  Solomon, 
or,  as  in  Ps.  8.  to  man  in  general ;  but  the  terms  employed 
would  be  extravagant,  if  nothing  more  was  intended  by 
them.  The  only  adequate  explanation  is  their  additional 
reference  to  Christ. 

(3.)  The  prophecy  may  be  restricted  to  what  is  common 
to  all  the  events. 

A  generic  element  is  more  or  less  involved  in  all 
prophecies.  The  facts  may  not.  occur  again  in  the  precise 
form  ;  but  the  laws  are  permanent  and  will  have  other  ex- 
emplifications. This  explains  why  later  prophets,  in  adopt- 
ing the  language  of  their  predecessors,  not  unfrequently 
make  a  new  application  of  it.  J  er.  48  :  43, 44,  about  Moab. 
quoting  what  Is.  24  :  17,  18,  had  said  of  the  whole  earth. 
Also  Jer.  11  :  19,  with  Is.  53  :  7.  Nahum  1  :  15,  with  Is. 
52  :  7.  Revelation  resumes  the  ancient  prophecies  concern- 
ing Babylon. 

Prophecy  may  also  depart  from  the  strictly  historical 
form. 

In  this  the  same  two-fold  design  as  in  the  neglect  of 
time  ;  viz.  the  partial  obscuring  of  the  events  revealed,  and 
the  greater  distinctness  and  force  of  the  lessons  conveyed. 

"Had  God  seen  best,  he  might  have  revealed  the  details. 
He  often  did  so.  Cyrus  predicted  by  name.  Is.  44  :  28  ; 
likewise  Josiah,  I  Kings,  13  :  2.  The  birth  of  Christ  of  a 
virgin  at  Bethlehem,  &c. 


120 

Two  methods  adopted. 

1st.  The  identity  of  the  object  predicted  is  retained 
with  a  mere  diversity  of  form.  The  future  object  is  spoken 
of,  not  as  it  shall  actually  be  at  the  time  of  its  fulfilment, 
but  as  it  is  at  the  time  of  the  prediction.  It  was  spoken  of 
as  the  people  know  it,  being  thus  more  intelligible  to  them. 

Thus,  objects  common  to  the  two  dispensations  are, 
as  a  rule,  called  by  their  O.  T.  names  and  presented  in  their 
O.  T.  form.  God's  people  constantly  called  Israel,  their 
habitation  ;  Canaan,  the  seat  of  God's  worship  or  his  dwell- 
ing place;  Jerusalem,  Zion  or  the  temple.  The  conversion 
of  the  heathen  is  represented  by  their  erecting  altars  in 
their  land  and  engaging  in  the  ritual  worship,  Is.  19  :  19; 
offering  incense  and  oblations  in  every  place,  Mai.  1:11; 
keeping  feast  of  Tabernacles,  Zech.  14  :  16  ;  paying  annual 
or  even  monthly  and  weekly,  visits  to  Jerusalem,  Is.  66:23; 
and  enrolled  amongst  the  Levitieal  priesthood,  Is.  66  :  21 ; 
although  at  the  time  to  which  these  predictions  refer,  this 
particular  mode  of  worship  would  be  abolished. 

The  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  Joel,  2  :  28,  is  described 
under  the  form  of  speaking  with  tongues,  though  sanctifi- 
cation  was  the  universal  manifestation. 

Names  of  nations,  hostile  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  are 
used  to  those  in  whom  this  hostility  is  perpetuated.  Joel, 
3  :  19,  Egypt  and  Edom.     cf.  Mic.  5  :  5,  6  ;  Is.  11  :  14. 

Unity  of  the  people  under  Messiah  is  represented  by 
the  healing  of  the  breach  between  Judah  and  Israelis. 
11  :  13  ;  Jer.  3  :  18.  Messiah  to  sit  on  David's  throne.  Is. 
9  :  7.  Cf.  Ezek.  34  :  23,  Hos.  3  :  5.  We  of  to-day  con- 
stantly use  the  words  Canaan,  Israel,  Zion. 

The  statements,  however,  are  not  false  nor  inaccurate; 
simply  there  is  no  disclosure  made  of  the  changes  to  be  ef- 
fected in  the  plan  of  grace.  Even  so  everything  is  not 
made  known  to  us  now  that  is  to  be  revealed  hereafter. 
We  have  glimpses  of,  but  cannot  imagine  precisely  the 
future.  From  the  glimpses  given  to  the  prophets  of  the 
future,  they  invariably  return  to  the  representation  of  the 
future  under  forms  then  existing.  Isaiah  connects  with 
the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,  65  :  17,  building  houses 
and  inhabiting  them,  planting  vinevards  and  eating  the 
fruit,  66  :  22.     Cf.  Joel,  3  :  17;  Zech".  14  :  16. 

The  literalists  maintain  that  the  predictions  respecting 
Israel,  Jerusalem  and  Canaan,  in  the  days  of  the  Messiah 


121 

and  the  establishment  of  his  Kingdom  in  Zion,are  to  have 
a  national  and  local  fulfillment.     They  should 

1.  Remember  the  principle  underlying  the  whole  mat- 
ter, which  is  far  more  comprehensive  than  the  particular 
cases  in  dispute. 

2.  Interpret  all  prophecies  consistently  and  upon  some 
settled  method. 

2nd.  Another  similar  object  may  by  a  figure  be  sub- 
stituted for  it.  This  may  be  a  figure  of  speech  or  symbol. 
Is.  2  :  2  "  Mentioned  of  Lord's  house shall  be  ex- 
alted above  the  hills;"  in  strict  sense  of  words,  a  physical 
change,  but  doubtless  a  moral  change  of  analogous  nature 
is  intended. 

In  the  symbolical  prophecy,  one  thing  not  merely  il- 
lustrates another,  but  is  substituted  for  it.  The  symbol 
may  be 

a.  Presented  to  the  senses.  Zech.  6  :  11,  the  high 
priest  Joshua,  crowned  with  silver  and  gold  brought  from 
Babylon,  symbolizes  Messiah  as  both  priest  and  king,  to 
whom  all  in  distant  lands  should  lend  their  aid.  The  sym- 
bolical a;tion  of  the  prophets  are  instances  of  the  same 
kind. 

b.  Exhibited  in  vision  or  dream.  The  temple  and  its 
worship,  Ezek.  40  ;  the  image  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream, 
Dan.  2,  symbolical  of  the  future  state  of  the  theocracv. 
Cf.  Dan.  8,  Zech.  1. 

c.  Simply  described,  and  thus  partake  of  the  nature  of 
allegoiw.  The  locusts  Joel.  1  :  2,  represent  the  foes  of  the 
covenant  people.     Cf.  Hoz.  1:3  ;   Ezek.  17  :  23. 

Aids  in  interpreting  symbolical   prophecies  are  three. 

(1.)  The  prominent  qualities  and  associations.  Sym- 
bols in  the  Scriptures  not  like  letters  of  the  alphabet,  arbi- 
trary and  with  no  resemblance  between  the  sign  and  the 
thing  signified.  The  locusts,  Joel,  1  :  2,  are  a  natural 
emblem  of  foreign  invaders;  filthy  garments,  Zech  3  :  4, 
of  sin  ;  crowns,  Zech.  6  :  11,  of  royalty. 

(2.)  Established  usage.  Symbols  must  have  a  uniform 
signification,  if  they  are  to  be  an  intelligible  medium  of 
communicating  ideas. 

Some  interpret  the  brazen  serpent  as  a  healer,  and  re- 
fer to  the  serpent  in  Egyptian  symbolism,  where  it  denotes 
healing,  and  to  its  use  in  the  worship  of  ./Escnlapins.  It 
is  more  natural,  however,  to  conclude  that  either  the  ser- 
pent form  in  JNum.  2  :  8,  is  not  symbolical ;  or  else   that  it 


122 

retains  its  constant  signification  of  destroyer  (Cf.  Rev.  12:9; 
20 :  2  ;  and  Gen.  3),  and,  being  transfixed  and  harmless,  in- 
dicates a  victory  over  the  destroyer. 

Many  symbols  borrowed  from  the  Levitical  institutions; 
being  familiar,  sacred  and  significant  of  the  very  truths 
with  which  prophecy  was  concerned.  The  signification, 
belonging  to  them  in  their  original  connection,  is  always 
retained.     Cherubim,  Ezek.  1,  and  temple,  40. 

If  the  symbol  be  not  illustrated  by  scriptural  usage, 
we  should  consider  the  symbolical  use  of  the  same  object 
among  other  ancient  nations,  especially  those  with  which 
Israel  was  brought  into  contact. 

(3)    Authoritative  explan  ition  furnished  by  inspiration. 
Sometimes  given  by  the  prophet  himself.     Daniel  states  the 
symbol  and  adds  the  interpretation  of  Neb.'s  dream,  2. 

Sometimes  by  a  later  writer  of  scripture.  "  Son  of 
man,"  Dan.  7  :  "13,  is  applied  by  Christ  to  himself.  The 
little  horn  of  Daniel's  fourth  beast,  7,  with  2  Tbes.  2:3. 

Someti  mes  the  explanation  is  indirectly  given  by  ming- 
ling literal  language   with   the   description  of  the   symbol 
CfrZech.  3  :  L 

To  distinguish  prophecies  which  adhere  to  the  histori- 
cal form  from  those  in  which  it  is  neglected,  the  following 
suggestions  suffice. 

1.  In  prophecies  already  accomplished,  the  criterion  is 
to  be  found  in  the  fulfillment.  That  Christ  should  rise 
from  the  dead  without  seeing  corruption,  Ps.  16  :  10;  that 
his  garments  should  be  parted,  &c,  Ps.  22  :  18,  are  shown 
by  the  event  to  have  been  literally  intended.  The  drying 
up  of  the  river  of  Egypt,  Is.  19  :  5,  coming  of  Elijah,  Mai. 
4  :  5,  are  shown  to  have  been  figurative.  Perhaps,  how- 
ever, the  prophecy  has  as  yet  been  but  partially  fulfilled  and 
what  was  only  figuratively  true  of  the  past  may  come  to 
pass  literally  in  the  future,  Is.  13:  10. 

2.  Comparison  with  other  prophecies  in  the  0.  or  N. 
T.,  relating  to  the  same  subject,  is  valuable.  The  figures 
of  one  may  be  detected  by  the  literal  language  of  another, 
or  by  the  figures  of  another  with  which  they  would  be  in- 
compatible if  literally  understood. 

Heathen,  when  converted,  build  altars,  and  offer  sacri- 
fices in  their  own  land,  Is.  19:  19-21  ;  and  that  in  all  parts 
of  the  earth,  Mai.  1  :  11.  Yet  they  are  said  to  go  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  worship,  Is.  2  :  3. 

Cf.  Joel,  3  :  18  with  Ezek.  47  :  1,  Zech.  14  :  8. 


123 

Cf.  Ezek.  38 :  2  with  Rev.  20  :  8. 

3.  N.  T.  teaches  that  the  restrictions  of  the  old  econ- 
omy and  its  ceremonial  are  now  abolished.  Consequently, 
if  any  prediction  speaks  of  these  obsolete  forms  in  connec- 
tion with  Messianic  times,  it  must  be  understood,  not  ac- 
cording to  its  letter,  but  according  to  its  spirit.  See  Gal. 
4:9;  Acts  15:10;  Heb.  10  : 1,  2 ;  John  4  :  21  ;  Eph.  2  :  14. 

4.  The  figurative  character  of  a  prophecy  is  often  stated 
or  suggested.  Ezek.  37:  11,  declares  the  resurrection 
of  the  dry  bones  to  mean  the  restoration  of  Israel.  Also, 
Dan.  7  :  8,  Joel,  2  :  4,  5,  20,  Zech.  10  :  11,  Jer.  25  :  15. 

5.  When  the  terms  of  a  prediction  stand  in  evident  re- 
lation to  the  past  history  of  the  chosen  people,  or  to  typi- 
cal events  and  institutions,  there  is  reason  to  suspect  that 
these  may  be  figuratively  employed. 

Thus  a  second  dividing  of  the  Red  Sea,  Is.  11 :  15. 
See,  also,   Ezek.  20:34-38,   Is.  48  :  21,   Ezek.  38  :  22, 
Is.  11:6-8,  65:  25. 

6.  If  the  literal  explanation  would  involve  a  physical 
im'possibility,  or  a  manifest  incongruity,  this  is  a  clear  index 
of  the  figurative  character  of  a  prediction. 

Ezek.  42  :  16,  a  temple  of  this  size  could  not  be  placed 
upon  Mt.  Moriah.  See,  also,  Rev.  21:16,  Joel,  2:20, 
Ezek.  39  :  12. 

7.  The  general  literary  style  of  a  prophet  affords  a 
hint  as  to  the  character  of  a  particular  passage  in  his  writings. 

8.  In  prophecies  yet  unfulfilled,  the  developments  of 
Providence  must  decide.  It  could  not  have  been  known  in 
advance  that  the  prophetic  appellations,  Josiah,  1  K.  13  :  2, 
and  Cyrus,  Is.  45  :  1,  4,  were  to  be  real  names  ;  and  that 
Immanuel,  Is.  7:  14  was  not.     See,  also,  Mai.  4:  5. 

9.  The  line  between  figurative  and  literal  prophecies  is 
not  to  be  too  sharply  drawn,  as  though  these  formed  quite 
distinct  classes.  The  same  prophecy  may  be  intended 
and  fulfilled  in  both  senses.  Opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind 
and  the  ears  of  the  deaf,  Is.  35  :  5,  was  fulfilled  literally  in 
the  miracles  of  Christ  and  figuratively  in  the  blessings  of 
the  gospel  dispensation.    See,  also,  Hag.  2  :  7-9,  Zech.  9  :  9. 

The  literal  fulfillment  sometimes  serves  to  identify  the- 
subject  of  the  figurative.  That  John  came  preaching  in 
the  wilderness  of  Judea,  was  an  external  sign  that  he  was 
the  voice  spoken  of  by  Isaiah  as  crying  in  the  spiritual  wil- 
derness, "  Prepare."  John  19  :  36,  a  Hteral  mark  of  simili- 
tude, identifies  Christ  as  the  true  paschal  lamb. 


124 

The  study  of  a  prophecy  is  for  the  purpose  of  drawing 
therefrom  instruction,  and  is  therefore  quite  distinct  from 
the  study  of  its  fulfillment.  As  to  the  latter,  two  directions 
are  important. 

1.  It  should  he  preceded  by  a  thorough  study  of  the 
prophecy  itself.  The  reversion  of  this  order  has  led  to  the 
most  extravagant  results.  Some  of  the  old  Dutch  inter- 
preters found  in  the  O.  T.  prophecies  all  the  events  of  the 
Thirty  Year's  War. 

2.  The  student  should  proceed  from  the  plain  to  the  ob- 
scure, from  the  fulfilled  to  the  unfulfilled.  When  engaged 
upon  prophecies  which  are  clear,  or  where  the  fulfillment  is 
before  his  eyes,  the  student  is  in  less  danger  of  error,  and 
may  correct  his  result  by  the  divine  exposition  afforded  by 
the  event.  Having  thus  tested  and  adjusted  his  methods, 
he  may  adventure  prudently  and  cautiously  into  those  whose 
fulfillment  is  still  future. 

Uses  of  the  study  of  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy. 

1st.  Practical  ;  it  sheds  light  upon  duty  and  the  incen- 
tives to  its  faithful  performance.  We  learn  also  the  nature 
of  the  events  which  are  transpiring  around  us  and  their 
place  in  the  divine  plan.  Thus  the  early  Christians  antici- 
pated'the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  made  good  their 
escape. 

2nd.  Apologetic;  there  is  no  clearer  proof  of  Divinity 
than  infallible  foreknowledge  of  the  distant  and  contingent 
future.  There  are  so  many  plain  prophecies,  that  the 
strength  of  the  argument  could  not  be  increased  by  the  ad- 
dition of  more. 

To  the  question,  whether  all  the  prophecies  of  Scrip- 
ture have  been  or  are  to  be  fulfilled,  a  negative  answer 
has  been  returned  by  two  very  different  classps  of  inter- 
preters, and  on  essentially  different  grounds.  Many  be- 
lievers in  the  inspiration  of  the  prophets  have  contended 
that  certain  prophecies  contain  implied  conditions  upon 
which  their  fulfillment  or  non-fulfillment,  according  to  the 
tenor  of  their  announcement,  is  suspended.  The  Socinians 
held  it  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  liberty  of  free  agents 
that  their  acts  should  be  foreknown  or  certainly  deter- 
mined beforehand  :  all  predictions  relating  to  the  free  acts 
of  men  must,  consequently,  upon  this  theory,  be  contingent 
or  conditional.  The  schoolmen  distinguish  three  sorts  of 
prophecies — prophetia  prcedestinationis,  prophetia  prcescienti&, 
aud  prophetia  comminationis.     The  prophecy  of  predestina- 


125 

tioii  is  when  the  event  depends  wholly  upon  God's  will, 
without  any  respect  to  the  will  of  man,  as  the  prophecy  of 
the  incarnation  of  Christ;  the  prophecy  of  prescience  is 
of  such  things  as  depend  upon  the  liberty  of  man's  will; 
and  the  prophecy  of  commination  denotes  God's  denunci- 
ations of  heavy  judgments  against  a  people.  The  first 
and  second  rest  upon  the  Divine  decree  and  fore- 
knowledge, and  they  always  take  effect ;  the  third  is  a 
simple  declaration  of  what  is  deserved,  and,  in  the  existing 
state  of  things,  is  to  be  expected,  but  which  need  not  fol- 
low it  the  antecedent  conditions  are  altered. 

The  decisive  objection  to  this  view,  on  whatever  foot- 
ing it  is  placed,  or  by  whatever  grounds  it  is  defended,  is 
that  the  inspired  criterion  for  distinguishing  true  from 
false  prophets,  is  the  accomplishment  of  their  predictions, 
Dent,  xviii.  22.  This  test  would  be  practically  rendered 
nugatory  it  predictions  of  specific  events,  expressed  in  ab- 
solute terms  and  with  no  intimation  of  any  condition, 
might  fail  of  fulfillment,  and  yet  be  true  prophecies.  And 
that  Jeremiah  xviii.  7 — 10,  had  no  intention  of  nullifying 
this  test,  appears  from  his  appeal  to  it  in  his  contest  with 
Ilananiah,  Jer.  xxviii.  9.  The  righteous  dispensations  of 
God  towards  men  are  indeed  conditioned  by  their  charac- 
ter and  conduct,  so  that  a  change  in  them  is  followed  by 
a  change  in  his  dealings  with  them,  which  the  Scriptures, 
employing  the  language  of  men  and  speaking  according 
to  the  outward  appearance,  often  described  as  a  change  in 
the  Divine  mind  But  God's  eternal  purpose  never 
changes.  His  foresight  of  the  future  is  not  conditional, 
but  absolute,  and  he  may,  if  he  pleases,  reveal  it  absolutely. 
When  a  specific  good  is  unconditionally  promised,  therefore, 
it  is  because  it  is  certain  to  the  divine  mind  that  his  mercy 
will  not  be  taken  away  from  the  object  of  his  favor. 
When  a  specific  evil  is  similarly  threatened,  it  is  with  the 
certainty  that  they  who  are  thus  doomed  are  incorrigible 
and  will  not  repent.  Even  where  this  is  the  case,  as  in 
Isa.  vi.  9,  etc.,  the  prophecy  is  not  useless,  as  Fairbairn 
objects.  It  still  serves  two  important  purposes.  It  is  a 
witness  on  God's  behalf  and  against  the  obdurate  offen- 
ders, that  judgment  did  not  come  upon  them  without  just 
cause,  or  without  antecedent  warning:  and  it  may  be  the 
means  of  leading  individuals  to  repentance  and  salvation, 
though  the  unbelieving  mass  persist  in  going  on  to  ruin. 
There  may  be  no  claim   upon   God,  ab  extra,  to  fulfil  his 


126 

threaten! rigs,  but  the  reasons  of  liis  acts  are  in  himself,  and 
his  inviolable  truth  and  justice  stand  in  the  way  of  his  re- 
voking them.  Whenever  the  moral  effect  of  a  prophecy 
required  that  it  should  be  conditional,  it  is  made  so  in  ex- 
press terms.  Or,  the  same  end  may  be  answered  by  leav- 
ing it  indefinite,  announcing  some  general  principle  of  the 
Divine  administration,  without  specifying  when  or  bow  it 
shall  go  into  effect,  or  at  least,  leaving  the  time  undeter- 
mined. But  whatever  is  absolutely  declared  by  the  proph- 
et, is  to  be  absolutely  understood.  The  most  plausible 
exception  is  that  derived  from  the  ease  of  Jonah.  Nineveh 
continued  to  stand,  notwithstanding  his  having  been  sent 
of  God  with  the  declaration,  "Yet  forty  days  and  Nineveh 
shall  be  overthrown."  But, as  Hengstenberg  has  well  said, 
we  have  only  this  general  statement  respecting  Jonah's 
preaching  there,  not  the  preaching  itself  No  doubt  this 
was  such  as  to  indicate  the  only  heme  of  escape  lay  in  a 
timely  repentance.  It  was  ;>t  least,  so  understood  by  the 
Ninevites,  and  they  acted  accordingly.  Jonah's  displeas- 
ure at  the  sparing  of  the  city  cannot  be  urged  in  proof  of 
the  unconditional  character  of  his  prophecy  ;  for  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  this  did  not  arise  from  the  fear  of 
his  being  discredited  as  a  prophet,  but  rather  from  his  dis- 
tress at  seeing  the  mercy  of  God  transferred  from  obdurate 
Israel  to  their  penitent  foes.  Jer.  xxvi.  18,  19,  to  which 
Caspari*  appeals  in  proof  of  the  conditional  character  of 
Micah's  prophecy,  iii.  12,  is  still  less  to  the  point  It  sim- 
ply repeats  the  opinion  of  certain  elders,  without  vouching 
for  its  correctness.  The  prediction  in  question  relates  to 
an  event  whose  time  was  not  defined  by  the  prophet,  al- 
though intimated,  iv.  10,  and  it  was  fulfilled  to  the  letter. 

On  the  other  hand,  unbelievers  in  the  inspiration  of 
the  prophets  allege  that  several  of  their  predictions  failed 
of  accomplishment,  thereby  showing  that  they  had  no 
certain  knowledge  of  the  future.  Thus  De  Wette  :f  •'  Jer. 
xxii.  18,  etc.,  xxxvi.  30,  appear  not  to  have  been  fulfilled, 
comp.  2  Kings  xxiv.  6  ;  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  6.     The  following 

*  Caspari  on  Micah,  p.  160. 

t  Einleitung  in  die  A.  T.  g  204.  In  the  translation  of  tins  work  by 
Theodore  Parker,  the  translator  has  mistaken  his  author's  meaning,  when 
he  makes  him  say,  '  The  definite  predictions  of  Ezekiel  xii.  xxiv.  25.  2C>, 
xxxiii.  21,  '2'2.  seem  not  to  hare  been  fulfilled.'  De  Wette  merely  alleges 
these  as  instances  of  the  prediction  of  specific  events,  without  denying  their 
fulfilment,  this  being  too  plain  to  be  questioned. 


127 

are  not  fulfil  led  :  Amos  vii.  11  ;  Hosea  ix.  3,  xi.  5  ;  Isa. 
xxii.,  xxix.,  xvi.  14;  xxiii.;  Jer.  xliii.  8,  etc.,  xlix.  7,  etc.; 
Ezek.  xxxv.,  xxix.,  xxxviii  ,  etc.;  not  accurately  fulfilled, 
Isa.  vii.  17,  etc.,  viii.  4,  xiv.  23,  xvii.  1 — 3,  xxxiv.  9,  etc." 
But  pven  if  we  were  not  able  to  prove  that  these  particular 
prophecies  have  been  accomplished,  this  would  not  affect 
the  argument  of  inspiration  from  the  remainder,  many  of 
which  have  been  most  signally  and  undeniably  fulfilled. 
This  is  sufficient,  likewise,  to  show  that  we  should  be  slow 
to  admit  the  non-fulfilment  of  any  prophecy  uttered  by 
those  who  are  so  clearly  attested  as  the  messengers  of  God. 
Nothing  but  the  plainest  and  most  undeniable  evidence 
can  justify  such  an  admission.  But  so  far  from  this  being 
afforded,  an  examination  of  the  passages  adduced  by  De 
Wette,  will  show  that  his  denial  rests  in  every  case  upon 
a  false  interpretation  of  the  passages  themselves,  a  want 
of  historical  knowledge,  or  the  groundless  assumption  that 
the  prophecies  contemplate  only  the  immediate  future. 
Amos  vii.  11,  'Jeroboam  shall  die  by  the  sword,'  is  not  the 
language  of  Arnos,  but  words  which  Amaziah  slanderous- 
ly puts  into  his  mouth,  to  make  him  odious  to  the  king. 
The  real  words  of  Amos  were,  vii.  9,  '  I  will  rise  against 
the  house  of  Jeroboam  with  the  sword,'  which  came  to 
pass,  2  Kings  xv.  10.  Ezekiel's  prophecy  respecting  Gog, 
chaps,  xxxviii.,  xxxix.,  relates  to  events  still  future.  Isaiah, 
eh.  xxxiv.,  blends  the  final  judgment  with  the  judgment 
upon  Edotn.  Isa.  vii.  17,  the  invasion  of  Judah  by  the 
king  of  Assyria;  Isa.  xiv.  23,  the  utter  desolation  of  Baby- 
lon ;  and  Jer.  xlix.  7,  etc.;  Ezek.  eh.  xxxv.,  that  of  Edom, 
have  been  fulfilled  to  the  letter,  and  the  length  of  time 
which  intervened  between  the  predictions  and  their  accom- 
plishment, only  enhances  the  evidence  of  prophetic  fore- 
sight. According  to  2  Kings  xv.  29,  xvi.  9,  the  riches  of 
Damascus  and  the  spoil  of  Samaria  (not  the  city,  but  the 
kingdom)  were  taken  away  before  the  king  of  Assyria 
within  the  time  predicted,  Isa.  viii.  4.  That  Damascus 
was  in  consequence  temporarily  desolated,  Isa.  xvii.  1 — 3, 
is  as  credible  as  the  desolation  of  Samaria  and  Jerusalem 
in  their  respective  captivities.  In  regard  to  Isa.  xvi.  14, 
the  overthrow  of  Moab  within  three  years,  Isa.  xxiii.,  the 
humiliation  of  Tyre  for  seventy  years,  and  its  subsequent 
revival,  and  Jer.  xliii.  8,  etc.,  Ezek.  xxix,,  Nebuchadnez- 
zar's subjugation  of  Egypt,  the  sole  difficulty  arises  from 
the  deficiency  of   historical  records.     We  know  nothing 


128 

of  Moab's  history  except  from  the  incidental  references 
occasionally  made  to  it  in  the  Old  Testament.  But  it  was, 
in  all  probability,  devastated  by  the  Assyrian  armies,  which 
so  often  invaded  Palestine.  It  is  well  known  that  Tyre 
was  besieged  by  Nebuchadnezzar  for  thirteen  years,  and 
there  is  good  reason  to  believe  successfully,  although  the 
fact  of  its  capture  does  not  happen  to  be  mentioned  in 
express  terms.'  It  cannot,  at  any  rate,  be  disproved; 
neither  can  his  conquest  of  Egypt,  which  is,  moreover, 
asserted  by  Josephus,  Antiquities,  x.  9,  7,  who  quotes  Me- 
gasthenes  and  Berosus  to  the  same  effect,  Antiquities  x.  11, 
1.  These  positive  statements  are  certainly  sufficient  to 
outweigh  the  silence  of  Herodotus  and  Diodorus.  The 
indignities  threatened  to  the  dead  body  of  Jehoiakim,  Jer. 
xxii.  18,  etc.,  xxxvi.  30,  are  not  discredited  by  2  Kings 
xxiv.  6,  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  6,  for  there  is  no  conflict  between 
these  passages  and  the  prophecy.  Nov  is  there  any  reason 
to  question  Joseph  ns's  explicit  testimony  to  its  fulfilment, 
Antiq.  x.  6,  3,  notwithstanding  its  rejection  by  De  Wette. 
The  difficulty  in  Isa.  xxii.  29,  is  not  so  much  to  discover  a 
fulfilment,  as  to  decide  between  different  events  which 
have  a  claim  to  be  so  regarded.  The  invasion  of  Sennacherib 
seems  to  have  been  more  immediately  regarded  in  both 
cases.  Elam  and  Kir,  chap.  xxii.  5,  denote  troops  from 
those  nations  in  the  Assyrian  army:  and  'he  sudden  and 
miraculous  defeat,  xxix.  5,  etc.,  is  that  of  the  host  of  the 
Assyrians.  But  with  this  is  blended  the  foresight,  in  chap. 
xxix.,  of  other  trials  and  deliverances;  and  perhaps,  in 
chap,  xxii.,  of  the  later  sieges  by  Esar-haddon  and  Nebu- 
chadnezzar. Hos.  ix.  3,  "  Ephraim  shall  return  to  Egypt," 
and  xi.  5,  "  he  shall  not  return  into  the  land  of  Egypt,  but 
the  Assyrian  shall  be  his  king,''*  are  mutually  contradictory, 
if  regard  be  had  merely  to  the  letter  and  the  form  of  ex- 
pression. In  thus  affirming  and  denying  the  same  propo- 
sition, the  prophet  must,  if  he  is  to  be  absolved  from  the 
charge  of  inconsistency,  have  intended  it  in  different  senses. 
Two  explanations  are  possible,  either  of  which  is  satisfac- 
tory. He  may  mean,  Ephraim  shall  return  to  an  Egypt, 
i.  e.,  he  shall  be  reduced  again  to  a  servitude  like  that 
which  he  formerly  experienced  in  that  land — not  in  the  "lit- 
eral Egypt,  however,  but  in  Assyria.  Or  he  may  mean 
some  of  the  people  shall  return  to  Egypt,  fugitives  from 
Assyrian  invasion  ;  the  mass,  however,  shall  be  carried  not 
to  Egypt,  but  to   Assyria.     Upon  either  of  these   hypoth- 


129 


eses  the  language  of  the  prediction  accords  with  the  event 
And  tnese  explanations  will  still  hold  good,  though  xi  i 
be  translated  with  De  Wette,  interrogatively,  Shall  he  no 
return  into  the  land  of  Esrypt  ?  There  in  no  note  of  inter 
rogation  in  the  Hebrew,  however,  so  that  the  declarative 
form,  adopted  in  the  coraaon  English  version,  is  to  be 
preferred. 


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Prophets  and  prophecy  :  a  compilation 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


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